We are beginning a week-long Ayurvedic Autumn Cleanse today which means I’ve been busy in the kitchen prepping recipes. Bowls of kitchari, soup, and roasted pumpkin puree are delighting the senses daily.

Even as the weather here is still warm, Autumn is in the air – the dry breeze, shorter days, cool nights. So the comfort of these hearty bowls is welcome. Knowing that they are purifying and immunity-boosting, makes them all the more comforting, and satisfying.

This “borscht” was recently requested by a student who remembers it from a Seasonal Cleanse past. Her passion for the recipe made me think that, while it is perfect for an autumn or winter cleanse, it might have broader appeal. I hope you will let me know if you try it, and if you do, hope you enjoy it. xo

Ruby Beet Root Soup
Serves 4 

Ingredients
2 tablespoon ghee, or coconut oil
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cups beets, chopped
1 cup potatoes, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
2 cup coarsely chopped purple cabbage
6 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup beet greens, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, gf tamari, gf shoyu, or bragg’s aminos
1 teaspoon pink salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: sliced spring onions, fresh dill, rosemary or thyme, toasted and crushed fennel seeds, cashew curd or your own home-made coconut yogurt.

Instructions
Sauté shallot in ghee until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Stir in the fennel seeds and sauté until they lightly brown and release their aroma.

Add the vegetables, except the beet leaves, and sauté 3-4 minutes. Pour in the broth and stir in the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook 15 minutes, then add the beat leaves. Cook another few minutes until the greens soften.

Turn off heat and allow to sit for five minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and vinegar/tamari to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish accordingly.

Pinky Beet Purée
With the potatoes lending creaminess, this soup is natural as a purée. After cooking the soup, use an immersion blender to purée in the pot, or pour the soup carefully into a jug blender and pulse until it is creamy. Season and taste to adjust once puréed.

Note: I added Coconut Milk to make mine a bit creamier, and to add a bit of sweet to the pungency. Oat milk also wokrs great for added cremainess. Also, while it may be traditional to garnish with dill, it is so good with rosemary or thyme.

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Root vegetables are considered to be in the “Sweet” category of Ayurveda’s Six Tastes, making them grounding, soothing, sattvic. Wonderful for autumn and winter, they nourish and energize. As with the law of signatures, they are especially supportive to liver and to heart health.

As well as sweet, red beets are heating, which makes them ideal for Vata. Beets are said to support “blood” while beet greens help purify, and this makes them ideal for Pitta too. For Pitta, modifications could be to reduce garlic or omit, add in chunks of avocado when serving, or top with fresh cilantro.

I love how beets look like the heart and are so good for the heart. Don’t you love nature’s doctrine of signatures?

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There is still time to join us for this year’s all new, sumptuously nourishing Autumn Cleanse. Learn more here.

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Do you like beets? What is your favorite way to include them in a meal?