Root Vegetable Soup

Description
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Ingredients

 * 1 Tbs. olive or canola oil
 * 3 carrots, trimmed, peeled, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
 * 2 medium white or yellow onions, peeled, chopped (2 cups)
 * 3 cloves garlic, minced
 * 6 beets (about 1 1/4 lbs.) trimmed, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced (4 cups)
 * 1 small head cabbage, cored, quartered, very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
 * 10 cups water
 * 3 Tbs. tomato paste
 * 3 Tbs. brown sugar
 * 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
 * 1 tsp. caraway seeds
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
 * Low-fat yogurt or dairy-free soy sour cream for garnish (optional)

Directions
In large pot, heat oil over medium heat, tilting pan to spread. Add carrots, onions and garlic; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add beets and cabbage. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except yogurt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Taste soup for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Soup should have a nice sweet-sour tang.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with yogurt or soy sour cream.