Maple, Coconut and Beet Soup with Cashew Cream

Okay, so let's be honest here.  I had four pounds of beets in my fridge and I really wanted to make something red for Valentine's Day.  But not just any old red thing.  I wanted to make red velvet cupcakes.  And not just any old red velvet cupcakes, but cupcakes without all that horrible artificial red food colouring.  I wanted to make cupcakes coloured with beets. 

So into the kitchen I went to experiment. 

Into the oven went gorgeous ruby red cupcakes. 

And out of the oven came cupcakes that more than slightly resembled the colour of baby puke. 

And you know what?  This happened not once, not twice, but three times.  And so, I gave up. 

And you know something else?  I'm happy I have three dozen cupcakes the colour of baby puke in my freezer.  No, really, I am.  Because instead of making red cupcakes, I made red soup.  And my, do I love this soup. 

I still have a pound of beets in my fridge, though.  Anyone having a baby shower?  I can give you a good deal on baby puke cupcakes...


Maple, Coconut and Beet Soup with Cashew Cream
Serves 6

2 lbs beets, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
dash freshly ground pepper
4 ½ cups water
1 cup coconut milk
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Cashew Cream

½ cup cashews (cover with warm water and soak for about 3 hours)
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon maple syrup
pinch sea salt


Preheat oven to 450°F.  Toss beets, carrots, onion and garlic with the maple syrup and season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until the garlic and onions are golden brown and the carrots and beets are tender, around 25-30 minutes.  While the vegetables are roasting, make the cashew cream.  Put the cashews, water, maple syrup and sea salt into a blender and process until smooth and creamy.  Scrape the vegetables, along with all the beet juice, into a large pot.  Add the water.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held blender until smooth.  Or allow to cool slightly, pour into a food processor or blender, process until smooth and return to the pot.  Stir in the coconut milk and sea salt.  Ladle into bowls, adding a dollop of cashew cream to each serving.    

Comments

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Well done to you, hope more achievement to you. If you are actually conscious about your health and want to keep yourself fit and healthy than keep in mind that good health absolutely begins from a healthy mouth.