January is National Blood Donation Month! This time of year, we encourage anyone who can donate blood to do so. It’s also soup season, and this recipe celebrates both! Many people get turned away from making a donation because they have low iron levels in their blood. Low iron can manifest a variety of symptoms such low energy, pale appearance, difficulty focusing or difficulty regulating body temperature.
Certain populations are at higher risk of developing iron deficiencies include those who menstruate or are pregnant, children and infants, frequent blood donors, and people with heart failure or cancer. This recipe includes two iron-rich foods, beets and beef. You can get even more iron in this meal by cooking it in a cast iron Dutch oven.
Interested in donating blood? Here are the requirements for blood donations from the American Red Cross: Blood Donation Eligibility Requirements | Red Cross Blood Services –Dana Mealing, RDN, LDN, CIEC, Tevis Center for Wellness community nutrition educator
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 pound short ribs
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth
- 3 large beets, peeled and grated
- 1 beet peeled, grated and set aside for the very end of cooking
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- ¼ head cabbage, thinly sliced/shredded
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 Tbs honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- lots of fresh dill for serving
- Low fat sour cream, fresh chopped dill and rye sourdough bread for serving
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Cut down the short ribs to fit in the pot and brown the meat on all sides. Remove the meat, set aside and trim off excess fat.
Pour out the fat left in the pot and use what remains to sauté the onion and carrots over medium heat until the onion start to become clear. Stir in the grated beets (except the one you’ve set aside), vinegar and sugar. Cook on low heat for another minute.
Mix in the tomato paste and cook on low for two minutes. Pour the beef broth into the pot, then add the meat (bone in), diced potatoes, shredded cabbage, minced garlic and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer (avoid boiling), and let it cook for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and all flavors start to meld.
Remove meat from bones and shred or chop and add back to the pot. Stir in the reserved grated beet. Let the borscht simmer gently for another 10 minutes. This step gives the soup its signature vibrant color and tangy depth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Allow the borscht to rest for 10 minutes before serving, giving the flavors a final moment to meld. Ladle it into bowls, garnish generously with fresh dill and add a dollop of sour cream. Serve with dark rye bread. Makes six servings.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1.5 – 2 cups
Calories: 341
Fat: 14g
Sat. Fat: 6g
Carbs: 28g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 28g
Sodium: 648mg
Adapted from: Ukrainian Borscht – The Peasant’s Daughter (thepeasantsdaughter.net) & Borscht Recipe – Chefjar
