A recipe from Abbey’s Kitchen >

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 1/2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

3 ½ cups peeled and finely diced red beets

2 cups peeled and diced green apples

5 cups low sodium vegetable broth

½ tsp apple pie spice

1 can lite coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sautee until fragrant and soft, about three minutes.

Add the beets, apples, vegetable broth, and apple pie spice. Cover and cook for 40 minutes or until the beets are soft.

Add the cream from the top of the coconut milk can, along with ¼ cup of the coconut water (save the rest). Transfer to a blender (or puree with a hand blender) until very smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more of the coconut water and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Health Benefits

Beets — rich in vitamins and nutrients and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Apples — add to the natural sweetness that this beet soup has without adding any sugars to it. Apples are considered nutrient-dense fruit containing vitamins C, K, B1, B6, and are rich in antioxidants polyphenols, and minerals copper and potassium.

Warming Spices — the ginger and apple pie spice gives you this warm feeling from the inside out.

This recipe highlights ginger, but the apple pie spices also have many health benefits for the digestive system and more. 

Cinnamon has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects. Its prebiotic properties may improve gut health and relieves digestive discomfort.

Nutmeg has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It may benefit heart health.

Cardamom has cumulative properties that can aid in the digestion process. It may treat colic and stomach cramping and reduce flatulence and bloating.  It increases the flow of bile, which is essential to the digestion of fats. Its gastroprotective effects make it a solution for many digestive problems, such as constipation, acidity, indigestion, and different types of stomach infections. Cardamom is full of antioxidants and manganese, which aid in detoxification. It is good for the kidneys as it promotes urination, lowers blood pressure, removes the calcium and urea that have accumulated in the kidneys.

Ginger stimulates the digestive tract and prevents irritation to the intestinal walls. It is used to treat atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, motion sickness, colds and cough, and headaches. Ginger is great for preparing for those fall allergies.

Coconut Milk — helps make this soup creamy without adding heavy cream. Coconut milk  promotes gastrointestinal health and helps electrolyte balance. It has anti-inflammatory properties and strengthens the immune system.