As I write this post, I'm staring out my window at what is perhaps a quintessentially gorgeous October afternoon day. The sun is bright, the air tingling with a bit of crispness, bringing to mind the word I associate most with this month: golden. Whether it's ghoulish pumpkins, scatterings of candy corn and fire-tinged leaves, or that once-a-year hue of the sun's rays, for some reason, that color embodies what I love about this time when fall is at its peak.
It was also the inspiration for this recipe, which satisfied my body's instinctual cravings for a meal that's warm, nourishing, and flavorful. I could have gone the traditional route here and used red beets (a nod to October's birthstone, tourmaline), but the golden variety affords this soup a plethora of health benefits suited for this time of year: their color alone means that they have more immune boosters like vitamin C, vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, lycopene, flavonoids, and zeaxanthin. They're also a little softer, which made blending them into a soup simpler. Combined with the legumes' great carb-protein ratio, this root becomes anything but humble.
Like most soups, this is great to make a big batch of to freeze or simply have on-hand for leftovers in the days that follow. Add a bit of water or milk when reheating given its already thick consistency.
YIELDS
6 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 2 large golden beets, quartered
- 1 large yellow onion, halved
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon harrisa
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2-4 dry dates
- 1/2 dry yellow split peas
- 1/2 cup dry red lentils
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small baking dish, combine the beets and onion. Slice the top of the garlic bulb off and place face-down in the dish (yes, include the WHOLE bulb, with papery skin). Evenly coat with coconut oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the beets are soft when pierced with a knife.
2. Meanwhile, combine lentils and peas in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until very soft, stirring every once and while so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. When the vegetables and legumes are done cooking, allow them to cool slightly before making the soup. When the garlic bulb is cool enough to handle, squeeze until the cloves come out easily; they should be very soft.
4. To make the soup, you can use either a food processor or an immersion blender. If using the latter, combine the vegetables, legumes and remaining ingredients in a large pot and blend, adding the water as you go to reach the desired consistency.
5. If using a food processor, first combine the milk, spices, and legumes; blend. Add the nutritional yeast, dates, and 1/4 cup water; blend. Add the onion, garlic, and another 1/4 cup water; blend. At this stage, my processor was full to max capacity, so I simply removed some of the soup to a bowl to recombine later; if you have a larger processor just keep going. Add the beets one chunk at a time and any additional water you need to reach the desired consistency.
6. Serve with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of cumin for garnish if desired. Enjoy!
2. Meanwhile, combine lentils and peas in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until very soft, stirring every once and while so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. When the vegetables and legumes are done cooking, allow them to cool slightly before making the soup. When the garlic bulb is cool enough to handle, squeeze until the cloves come out easily; they should be very soft.
4. To make the soup, you can use either a food processor or an immersion blender. If using the latter, combine the vegetables, legumes and remaining ingredients in a large pot and blend, adding the water as you go to reach the desired consistency.
5. If using a food processor, first combine the milk, spices, and legumes; blend. Add the nutritional yeast, dates, and 1/4 cup water; blend. Add the onion, garlic, and another 1/4 cup water; blend. At this stage, my processor was full to max capacity, so I simply removed some of the soup to a bowl to recombine later; if you have a larger processor just keep going. Add the beets one chunk at a time and any additional water you need to reach the desired consistency.
6. Serve with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of cumin for garnish if desired. Enjoy!
Also by Jennifer: Vegan Savory Fried Rice Salad
Related: Smoky Beet Veggie Burgers
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Photos: Jennifer Kurdyla
