Blood Soup

ARCHIVE
October 31, 2019

It’s so easy to get caught up in the business of life. I am so guilty of this. But it’s the little things that bring us back to who we are. That remind us to stop wasting all of our energy on things that don’t really matter and instead, invest in the things that do.

I got a message today from one of my dearest friends, who now lives 8 hours from me. She was making blood soup. Of course she was, it’s Halloween. Our families spent every Halloween together for nearly 10 years and every year we would be cozy by the fire eating cheese and pumpkin bread and our blood soup, while we took turns taking the kids around the neighborhood. Over the years the number of kids increased, but everything else stayed the same

We don’t connect every day anymore or even every month sometimes. But every year, no matter what, on Halloween we do. We share pictures of the food we are making and our kids’ Halloween costumes.

Today I was lost in the details of running a business and preparing to leave for a 10 day training. I was tired from the week generally and from putting on a benefit yesterday. The pouring rain was making me resist trick or treating. It started to feel like one more thing to do. I almost let today be like any other day and then I got that message and it changed everything.

Take these days where there is electrifying energy in the air. They are a gift. Take those rituals that light up your heart every year. Put your time into what matters.

I’m off to make soup.

Blood Soup

STOCK INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 onions roughly chopped with skins on

• 4 cloves smashed garlic, with skins on

• 1 celery stalk

• 2 carrots

• beet tips and stems

• top and seeds of red pepper

• handful lentils

• 3-4 bay leaves

• tablespoon oregano

• tablespoon thyme

• salt

• 6-8 cups water

SOUP INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter ( can use just 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion diced

• 1 clove garlic diced

• 1 stalk celery diced

• 2 carrots diced

• 1 red pepper diced

• 4 beets quartered and quartered again

• 1 teaspoon allspice

• 3-4 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 15 oz canned roasted or fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• salt

• lemon

Directions

1. In a stock pot, put all vegetables and lentils in pot and cook in oil for 10 minutes. Add water and let simmer for 20 minutes while you make the soup.

2. In a soup pot, heat oil and butter until butter melts

3. Add onion, cook for 5 minutes

4. Add all vegetables, bay leaves, oregano and allspice cook for 10 minutes

5. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, and salt cook for 5 minutes

6. Drain and add stock ( I pour it right into the vegetables)

7. Simmer for 20 minutes

8. Before serving add a wedge of lemon and salt. You can also cook the beet greens and add those and a dollop of thick, greek style dairy free yogurt.