Roasted Beet Parsnip Apple Soup with Hazelnuts and Sage

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After I wrote my last post, I was hoping to slowly get back into the saddle and ease myself back into the work load. The two week break did me good and I was raring to go but I like savoring the begin of a new phase. I understand that many do not think this way, but the start of a new year does have a magic of new beginnings and fresh starts. Wipe the slate clean and with the wisdom of an year, an opportunity to do it better than before. I am not talking resolutions - no I do not believe in them - I mean daring to go a step further, climbing that extra rung and getting closer to that goal you’ve been focusing on.

So, the beginning of January has always been a contemplative time for me, when after all the flurry and bustle of Christmas and New Year has ebbed, I like to take a bit of time to readjust and find my bearings again, maybe reassessing my course a bit.


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However, I did not even have a chance to scrape the surface of my thoughts as I’ve dived straight into a few exciting photo projects and features for magazines and cookbooks. The highlight of this week will be shooting my first cover photo for a vegetarian food magazine, I’ve recently started to work with.

Heck yeah, I am stoked! But I am also trying to stay composed, cool and keep my professional attitude.

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It’s all good … I cannot be happier and love working hard as long as I can play hard too. So, while this past weekend I was up at dawn baking cakes and tarts or cooking with seitan for photo shoots and spending the entire weekend in a happy sweet cloud of flour, sugar and spice, styling and shooting, I am also looking forward to the coming weekend of rest and play when Tom returns from Stockholm. Then I’ll be back in the kitchen cooking with friends and making comfy family meals to kick-back and relax. Looking forward to lots of wine, laughter and warming soups.

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Like this one. Wonderfully elegant yet so easy to prepare any time of the week. I love roasting vegetables in the oven to extract their delicate caramelized flavors and while they are fantastic with herbs, spices or a light dip or pesto, I love making soups with them.

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I adore root vegetables with beets and parsnip topping the list. Just look at the color - isn’t it stunning? I added some apples and topped it off with the flavors of sage and some hazelnuts for a crunch. Simple. Good. Satisfying.

Recipe: Roasted Beet Parsnip Apple Soup with Hazelnuts and Sage

Printable version of recipe here

Roasted Beet Parsnip Apple Soup by Meeta K. Wolff

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • 300g parsnips, cut into large cubes
  • 500g beetroot, cut into large cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • Knob of unsalted butter
  • 1.5 liters vegetable stock
  • Handful of sage leaves
  • 50g hazelnuts, slivered and toasted
  • Crème fraîche to serve
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C degrees. Toss the beetroot and parsnip with the olive oil, add fresh thyme sprigs and spread on a roasting tray. Season with salt and black pepper, then roast for 20-25 minutes until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a pan. Fry the apples for 5 minutes until golden. Add the roasted beetroot, parsnip and stock, then cook for 10 minutes. Whizz the soup in a blender until smooth. Check the seasoning. Serve in bowls with crème fraîche swirled through, sage leaves and toasted hazelnuts scattered over the top.

Verdict

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If you are taking time this January to sort out your thoughts and goals, do it with a bowl of this soup in your hands. It energizes, warms and the color uplifts even the darkest and coldest January days. The play with sage and hazelnuts is an exceptional highlight. I am sending you all my good vibes with this soup and wish you the best of luck setting and reaching all your goals and making your dreams come true.

I would also like to thank everyone you took time to comment on my last post. They were touching, heartfelt and totally fantastic. If I ever need a pick-me-up I know where to head .. thank you, friends!

Hope you have a great, warm and happy week and weekend ahead!

You might like these soup ideas from WFLH:

Cauliflower Soup-0094-WM_thumb 6956680549_3e33652be0_b YellowBellPepperFavaBeanSoup-01-framed_thumb
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Cauliflower Crumbs Roasted Fennel Soup with Pernod and Smoked Salmon Yellow Bell Pepper and Fava Bean Soup


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2013 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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41 comments:

  1. That is such a beautiful and elegant looking soup and I'm sure it tastes exquisite! Fabulous pictures and colors. A ray of sunshine...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. That's exactly what we need in this weather. Glad you liked this Rosa!

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  2. Delish soup Meeta...and needless to say brilliant pics:))
    Happy New year and happy new beginnings to you..

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  3. Beautiful colour and I love your black and white bowls. They're very Marrimeko!

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    1. The bowls are IKEA and I love them too. Use them far too rarely!

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  4. Absolutely gorgeous, Meeta! I, too, think of the new year as a time of renewal and a chance to re-organize my thoughts and priorities (okay, and my closets and pantry, too).

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    1. You've gotten me there with clearing out my closets and pantry now. I'm going to be spending my weekend doing that! LOL!

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  5. Vibrant! Love the colors you played with. We are huge root veggie fans - have yet to make a beet soup. Definitely going to be trying this recipe during the chilly winter months!!

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    1. Beets are perfect for soups and salad. I love the flavors here and I hope you enjoy making it!

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  6. I LOVE beet roots and I love how pretty it makes the food! I never used to add apple in soup, but yesterday I made apple and sweet potato soup ... YUM it was. Next in list would be this gorgeous think pretty soup.

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    1. Thanks Kankana. Apples adds a slight bit of tangy sweet to the vegetables and while it's not everyone's palate I really like what it does to a soup!

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  7. congratulations on new magazine :) its so exciting! I am just getting used to enjoying beets and I feel like I have missed out all these years. I havent had them in soup yet but looking at this recipe- i am very tempted to try it. Thanks for sharing Meeta.

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    1. Thanks! Yes I really do think one misses out when not eating their beets ;o) Do try the recipe as it has a lovely layer of flavors!

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  8. What a colorful soup! Never added apples to soup. Will have to give it a try sometimes.

    Congratulations on the new magazine shoot. I don't believe in resolutions either.

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    1. Thanks Lail! Apples add a great additional note to the soup. Let me know what you think!

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  9. Congratulations on the new work! Love the color and texture of this soup, am not a beet fan but this looks gorgeous

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    1. Thanks so much! Beets rock ;o) ... you must try them in this soup!

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  10. Now that I am a beet believer (!) this soup looks just glorious - comforting, colourful and tasty. I also have complete bowl envy... ;o)

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    1. Nice to welcome you to the beet side of life sweet sister! Ikea bowls ... no envy required!

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  11. That is one good looking soup. I love your writing and styling.

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  12. That looks such a gorgeous soup!!! Fabulous photographs. The soup too sounds wonderful.

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  13. I also love the reassessing and recalibrating that I do in January...it seems like a time full of hope and of starting fresh :) This soup is stunning! Roasting vegetables before turning them into a soup really makes for awesome flavour!

    Wishing you all the best in 2013!

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    1. It's a good think to do, and often much needed. Glad you liked the soup and I agree roasting is the best way to go to get the flavor out!

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  14. Liebe Meeta,
    ich finde deinen Blog unfassbar toll!
    Deine Rezepte sind raffiniert, aber nie zu aufwändig.
    Vielen Dank für die Mühe, die du in deinen Blog investierst.
    LG

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    1. Vielen Dank Trina. Es freut mich das es dir so gut gefällt.

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  15. What grande ingredient combo in a gorgeous soup bowl. Meeta you have outdone yourself this time with your Fotografie!

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  16. Beautiful Meeta! Your bowl of soup just brought life to the dull winter colours.

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  17. I already told you how stunning the photos are and that soup is an amazing color! And oh better than borscht! Love the addition of sweet apples and the nuts on top!

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  18. What a gorgeous color, soups are my go-to meal during the winter months.

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  19. Carole's Chatter is collecting links using parsnip and/or pumpkin today. This is a nice one. I do hope you pop over and link in. This is the link . Cheers

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta