Author Notes
You go, girl, or guy! You can do it! You can enjoy a soup full of root vegetables that is both delicious and good for you. This soup stars beets, sweet potato and parsnips, with a supporting role for acorn squash and mushrooms. Pomegranate seeds are used both in the soup and for the garnish, for a double kick of goodness.
Did you know pomegranates are used as symbols of birth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity in many cultures? This soup is a beautiful, deep, red color, perfect for the holidays! It's thick and boisterous, full of passion and good looks.
It can also be made in the slow cooker. For the best flavor, though, you still need to roast the vegetables first. —lifeofcolors
Ingredients
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3
medium beets
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1
medium sweet potato
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5
small parsnips
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
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salt & pepper to taste
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1
small acorn squash
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1
medium pomegranate
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1 cup
dried mushrooms
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2 cups
boiling water
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6 cups
water
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3 tablespoons
aged balsamic vinegar
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2 tablespoons
minced garlic
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1
dollop creme fraiche if desired for garnish
Directions
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Cut the beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips into small chunks. Mine all fit on one baking sheet. Add olive oil, salt & pepper, and stir until evenly coated on baking sheet. Roast at 350º for 30-45 minutes until soft
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While the vegetables are roasting, cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Place on plate with cut sides up. Microwave for 10-15 minutes until completely soft. You could also roast this, I just wanted to save time and make it as easy as possible.
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Remove seeds from pomegranate and set aside. Pomegranates can cause stains so be sure to clean up any spills quickly. One half of the seeds will go into the soup, save the other half for the garnish.
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Soak mushrooms in 1-2 cups boiling water and set aside until needed. Both the mushrooms and the water will be added to the soup.
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When all the above steps are completed, place all ingredients into a pan. Add the additional 6 cups of water. Then puree in blender or with immersion blender until smooth.
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Add aged balsamic vinegar and minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat soup again.
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Add the rest of the pomegranate seeds as a garnish in individual bowls, with creme fraiche if desired.
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