Valentine's Soup

Sometimes I make real food. Real food is defined by having less than 1/4 cup of sugar in the recipe. I actually cook quite a lot but because I don't find it that interesting and usually just throw stuff in a pot until it tastes good, so I don't post my lunches or dinners here. Except this one, 'cause it was pretty: beet soup!


I'm not really picky at all but up until recently I didn't like beets. I tried some of my dad's pickled beets ages ago and thought he was crazy. Then I sat next to a kid in high school who was obsessed with beets and would eat them for lunch. He called them Nature's Candy. I thought he was weird. Well, he was weird, but beets were the least of his problems. Hi, Chris!

I don't really know what changed my mind, I don't have a defining beet moment. But I do live with two boys, one who is a gourmet foodie and one who is a human garbage disposal. So I end up trying a lot of new foods. And now I'm kind of obsessed with beets, which is unfortunate for all of my bodily secretions.

For this soup, I roasted six small beets until tender and then whizzed them up with vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, lemon and plain yogurt. I chilled it, then I topped it with a swirl of plain yogurt, chopped raw onion and parsley, which I think you really need to balance the sweetness of the beets. It was really good and light, though it was a bit scary to eat since I knew it could stain anything within a five mile radius. On the other hand, maybe I'll make again for Valentine's day because it's pink. I'm pretty excited for Valentine's day because I'm going to make a GIANT cupcake with my new GIANT cupcake pan.

I have heart palpitations just thinking about it, it's sooo awesome. Joe got it for me for Christmas-Hanukkah. I don't actually know what I'm doing for Joe for Valentine's day, my brain is too full of ideas for GIANT CUPCAKES.

Tomorrow I unveil January's Daring Bakers Challenge!