Easy Borscht
[Vegan, Gluten-Free]

The day before:

1. Soak cashews in 1 1/2 cups of warm water overnight.

For the Soup:

1. Peel and finely chop the scallion. Set aside.
2. Scrub the beets well under cold water, peel them and grade them using a hand grater or food processor.
3. Next, take the carrots, wash, peel and grade them as well.
4. In a large pot heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the scallion and cook for 1-2 min, stirring frequently.
5. Add shredded beets and carrots and stir it all together.
6. Next, add 2 tablespoons of water and juice of 1/2 lemon.
7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile peel the sweet potatoes and diced them into small cubes.
9. After 20 minutes of simmering, add 6 cups of boing water into the pot.
10. Add salt and potatoes.
11. Shred 1/2 cabbage and add to the soup.
12. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
13. Add the bay leaves and peppercorn, stir it all up and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.
14. To serve the borscht pour it while it's still hot into your favorite bowl. You can enjoy it just like this, or go the extra mile and serve with dairy free sour cream (recipe below) and garnish with fresh chopped dill.

For the Sour Cream:

1. Strain the cashews and rinse them under cold running water.
2. Place all ingredients in your blender (I used my Vitamix)
3. Blend on high for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until very smooth and creamy.
4. Serve 1-2 spoonfuls on top of the borscht soup.
5. Transfer the rest to a mason jar or other glass airtight container.
6. Can be stored in your fridge for up to 1 week.