This vibrant, delicious soup will add a little Valentine’s Day drama and color to your dinner table - not to mention some healthful vitamins and minerals. Valentine Beet Soup is a variation of a borscht recipe that has added flavor and excitement to Russian winters for centuries. Served with heart-shaped croutons, it’s a perfect way to start your Valentine’s meal.

You’ll love how easy it is to make:

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion
1 small potato
1 pound raw beets
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
5 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Vegex (available in natural food stores) or one low-sodium, non-MSG vegetable bouillon cube
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream or yogurt to garnish (optional)
Chopped parsley to garnish

1. Chop vegetables.

2. Melt butter and saute onion until transparent. Add potato, beets, and stock and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Allow to cool before blending in small batches in blender.

5. Return to saucepan, add vinegar, Vegex, salt and pepper. Reheat to serving temperature.

6. Before serving, stir in sour cream, top with croutons and chopped parsley.

May be served warm or chilled.

Serves 6.

CROUTONS
3 slices slightly stale farm bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Using a cookie-cutter, cut the bread into heart-shapes, around 1 inch in diameter or smaller.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium flame and saute bread hearts until golden brown on both sides.

3. Sprinkle with cayenne, if desired, and serve warm or cooled on top of soup.