Creamy Beet Soup Without All The Cream Food

BEET SOUP

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic; cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in beets, and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, and simmer until the beets are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
• In batches, add soup to a food processor, and pulse until liquefied. Return soup to saucepan, and gently heat through. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with a swirl of cream.

CREAMY BEET WITH DILL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.
• Add beets, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
• Add caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
• Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until beets are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree (adding fresh dill) until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)
• Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.

CREAMY BEET SOUP WITHOUT ALL THE CREAM

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
• Add broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until the beets and potato are tender. Be sure to discard bay leaf at this point.
• Puree mixture using an immersion blender. You may also use a blender or food processor, being sure to process in 3 batches. The blender will probably give the smoothest results, but I thought the immersion blender gave satisfactory results (plus was easy to use). Return pureed mixture to the pot if necessary. Warm soup over low heat 5 minutes. Remove and stir in lemon juice.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the soup and transfer this into a small bowl. Combine it with the sour cream, stirring with a whisk.
• Ladle the soup into individual bowls and top each serving with one tablespoon of the sour cream mixture. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the sour cream, making a pretty design.
• This recipe makes 8 servings (3/4 cup each) at 74 calories.

CREAMY BEET SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375˚ F. To make clean up easier, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash beets, slice off each end and peel. Dice peeled beets into ½-inch pieces. Toss with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to coat and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until fork tender. Stir once or twice while roasting.
• Preheat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and once heated, add in onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes.
• Once onions are softened, add garlic, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add roasted beets, apple, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
• Carefully transfer soup to a heat safe blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and milk and blend for another 30 seconds. Alternatively, keep the soup in a pot and blend with an immersion blender.
• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Pour soup back into the pot and stir in the fresh dill. Cook for additional 5 minutes over low heat.
• Serve hot topped with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh dill and bread.