Chestnut Beetroot Soup

Earthy and vibrant, this creamy soup gets its texture from pureéing the softened chestnuts and vegetables together. This technique results in a perfectly thick spoonable delight that’s teaming with a rounded assortment of nutrients perfect for athletes. In this roundup of nutrition, beets are a superstar for athletes. Compounds found in beets increase the body’s ability to use oxygen and increase the time it takes to feel exhausted. Consuming chestnuts increases energy levels as they provide carbohydrates for both short and long-term energy.

Both beets and chestnuts are available in many stores already peeled and cooked making this soup much easier and faster to make. If you can’t find them in store, you can cook them yourself in advance and then toss them into the soup.

This soup is also fun experiment with color for kids to get them involved with cooking and healthy eating. As written, the recipe is earth toned with a hint of purple. Using golden beets will result in a yellow hue, and if you really want to make this vibrantly magenta, use red beets and change the mushrooms to a white mushroom so the redness doesn’t get muted with the brown tones of the shitake. You can also use a white balsamic or white wine vinegar to allow the natural bold beet color in either red or golden to really shine through.

Chestnut Beetroot Soup

Calories 404, Protein 7g, Total Carbs 54g, Fat 19g

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3.5 oz Shitake mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 8 oz peeled and steamed chestnuts
• 8 oz beets of any kind (about 2 whole beets), peeled and cooked
• 3 cups low sodium bone broth or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions:

1. In a saucepot, heat the olive oil and add the leek, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook 3-4 minutes until the leek begins to soften.
2. Add the chestnuts, beets, broth, and thyme. Simmer 20 minutes.
3. Pureé the entire soup with an immersion stick blender or let cool slightly and gently pour into a blender and pureé.