Family Meal Plan: No-Cook: Ukrainian Borscht Dip + 'Dill'icious Cream + Can't Beet It Smoothies

Ukrainian Borscht Dip

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• adjust :

  to change seasonings or consistency to one's taste or to alter portion sizes.

• blend :

  to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

• chop :

  to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

• dollop :

  to add an unspecified blob of food to the top of another food, like dolloping whipped cream on top of a piece of pie.

• knife skills :

  Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls). 

• measure :

  to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).

• taste :

  to put a bit of food or drink in your mouth to determine whether more of an ingredient is needed to improve the flavor.

• whisk :

  to beat or stir ingredients vigorously with a fork or whisk to mix, blend, or incorporate air.

What is Borscht?

• Ukrainians lay claim to being the original creators of the "borscht." This beet soup has been made since the 16th century and was primarily a poor man's food. Borscht is the national dish of Ukraine. It is one of the Ukrainians' traditional dishes served on Christmas Eve. In 2022, UNESCO added the "Culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking" to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. 
• Red beets are the heart of borscht. Beets are often called the red meat of the vegetable kingdom, not only because of their intense color but also because they are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
• Borscht is typically a hot soup, but there are cold variations. The hot versions tend to have a meat base, whether meat stock, bones, or chunks of long-simmered beef or pork, with sour cream on the side. The cold versions are often vegetarian—no meat stock, just water—and have the sour cream stirred into the soup so the dish takes on a vibrant magenta hue.
• After beets, vinegar may be the second most crucial element in borscht. Not only does vinegar's tartness balance the sweetness of the beets and other vegetables—satisfying the taste for sweet and sour—but more importantly, it acts as a stabilizer for the beet's red pigment, anthocyanin. The soup's color would fade or become an odd shade of purple without the vinegar.
• Once all the vegetables are simmering, the soup doesn't take long to cook—grating the beets speeds up the process significantly—only about 20 to 25 minutes total, which makes it an easy and practical main course for a weeknight. Add some hearty brown bread, and you've got dinner. But don't forget the crowning glory of a bowl of borscht: a generous dollop of sour cream and sprigs of fresh dill.

Let's Learn About Ukraine!

• Ukraine is an eastern European country and the second largest in Europe. Russia is the largest and lies on its eastern and northeastern border, with Belarus on its northern border. Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia are to the west of Ukraine, and Romania and Moldova are to the southwest. It borders the Black Sea to the south and the Sea of Azov to the southwest. 
• Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union until it broke up in 1991; however, Russia invaded and annexed the Crimea region in 2014, and in 2022, they began a full-scale invasion. As of 2023, the countries continue to fight over Ukraine's sovereignty and contested regions. 
• The government is a unitary semi-presidential republic with a president, prime minister, and legislature. Their currency is the "hryvnia" (pronounced 'HREEV-nee-yuh'). 
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president since 2019, has earned worldwide renown for his leadership during the Russian invasion. 
• Kyiv (pronounced 'Keev') is Ukraine's capital and largest city. The country's total area is 233,062 square miles, a little smaller than the US state of Texas, with 1,729 miles of coastline. The population is over 36.7 million. 
• The official language is Ukrainian, an East Slavic language. Russian is also spoken, mostly in areas of the east and south. 
• Most of Ukraine lies in the East European Plain, and its geography consists of fertile grasslands, highlands, and plateaus, with the Carpathian Mountains on its western border and the Crimean Mountains on its southern border. Several rivers flow across the country into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. 
• The climate is temperate, although Crimea's southern coast is subtropical. 
• The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine. The plants are grown for their seeds and oil from the seeds. It also symbolizes peace, hope, and resilience to Ukrainians.
• The nightingale is Ukraine's national animal. The white stork is also native to Ukraine. The golden jackal resides in Southwest Europe, including Ukraine, and the brown bear is found in the Carpathian Mountains. 
• Agriculture is a big part of Ukraine's economy, and it is one of the largest wheat exporters in the world. 
• Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Ukraine. Basketball is increasing in popularity. 
• A well-known part of Ukrainian cuisine, "borscht" (beet soup), is the national dish. Other traditional foods include "banush" (cornmeal stew), "holubtsi" (cabbage roll), "varenyky" (dumpling), and "paska" (decorative bread).

What's It Like to Be a Kid in Ukraine?

• Ukrainian children attend school for 12 years, from 6 to 17 years old. They may receive a state scholarship to attend university for free if their grades are high enough. Elementary students wear uniforms to school.
• Since the war with Russia began in 2022, kids' lives have been upended in many ways. Some moved with families to other cities in Ukraine or had to go to another country as refugees with their families. 
• Some of the sports kids participate in are football (soccer), basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, and tennis.
• For breakfast, kids may eat porridge or "syrnyky," a pancake made with soft curd cheese (this also could be dessert). For lunch, they may have a soup, like "borscht" and grilled sausages or "varenyky," which can be filled with cottage cheese, cabbage, potatoes, or meat. 
• Kids may like to eat "pampushky," a sweet or savory doughnut, for a snack or dessert. "Kyiv cake," made with chocolate, hazelnuts, and meringue, is also a popular dessert.