lazy borscht

Dinner was pretty in pink!

     

What produces this gorgey color?

My new bestest pals, beets! I included them in my roasting bonanza the other day, and produced a ludicrously delicious and easy soup.

Pretty in Pink Beet Bisque

4 beets, wrapped in foil and roasted until tender (depends on size of beets, etc, but it’s awhile- 40 min?)

Then get ‘em in quarters or so and throw ‘em in a blender along with:

1/2 an onion, also wrapped in foil and roasted

and

1 and 1/4 cups of your choice of milk, plus salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! Makes 2 one cup servings (my second serving’s in the freezer)

I will say that I’m glad that I made this a few days ago, because letting it hang in my fridge for awhile let the flavors intensify and the texture become UNBELIEVABLY VELVETY.

A hard boiled egg makes a rawther lovely topping. So cool how the beet infuses everything with that luscious color.

I had the soup cold today due to ridiculously better weather- we had snow two days ago and today I was in a tshirt. Madness! However, I’m excited to try it hot, too!

The rest of dinner included one of these:

I had raspberries that were starting to MOLD! EEK! Crisis intervention was obviously necessary, in the form of muffins.

Use up the Raspberries Muffins (makes 2 muffins- yeah yeah I’m cooking for one)

1/4 c oats

2 T boiling water

1/4 c flour (I used all purpose- what I had)

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

2 T yogurt (I used plain nonfat)

2 T milk

1/2 T oil

1 T sugar (I used turbinado)

1/8 t. orange zest

1 T almonds, rough chopped

approx 3 T fresh raspberries, halved

Pour hot water over oats. Stir, and let soften.

Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). Combine wet ingredients (yogurt through sugar- sugar’s considered a wet ingredient because it dissolves). Make a well in dry, add wet. Stir in oatmeal, zest, almonds, and fruit. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes.

Thoughts: not bad. Could’ve been sweeter. Should’ve increased or omitted almonds (couldn’t really taste ‘em).

I had my muffin with some crudités.

Ended up adding some PB to the carrots. I swear, finding the world of food blogs has SERIOUSLY expanded my views on peanut butter.