Borscht is the national dish of Ukraine. 🇺🇦 Originating sometime in the 16th century, this hearty, tasty soup has long been a celebrated staple of Eastern European cuisine. Its sweet and sour flavor, underlined by the rich earthiness of fresh beets, and its deep magenta color, make this a delicious, nutritious, and absolutely gorgeous meal for your dinner table. Our #recipe, which comes to us from The Kefir Cookbook by Lifeway CEO Julie Smolyansky, swaps out the traditional sour cream in favor of our certified organic Plain Whole Milk Lifeway Kefir. Loaded #protein and #calcium, and boosted by 12 live and active #probiotic cultures, our Plain Whole Milk Lifeway Kefir elevates this borscht to the next level.
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Actually Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole fat milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health.
Ingredients
- 12 cups water
- 4 red beets, ends trimmed, peeled
- 1 Large cucumber, peeled and diced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 large brown eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and diced, plus 1 extra hard-boiled egg cut into wedges, for garnish
- 6 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 3 cups Organic Plain Whole Milk Kefir
- black bread for dunking
Directions
- In a saucepan, bring he water to a boil while you peel and trim the beets and peal and dice the cucumber. Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the beets and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon juice. Once the pot has cooled off, transfer to the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the beets, dice them, and return them to the soup. Divide the soup among six bowls and add equal amounts of diced cucumber and chopped egg to each serving, topping each with 1 tbsp chopped dill.
- Top with 1/2 cup kefir to swirl in prior to enjoying.
- Garnish with egg wedges and serve with a slice of black brad for dunking.
