Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small baking dish, combine the beets and onion. Slice the top of the garlic bulb off and place face-down in the dish (yes, include the WHOLE bulb, with papery skin). Evenly coat with coconut oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the beets are soft when pierced with a knife.

Meanwhile, combine lentils and peas in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes or until very soft, stirring every once and while so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

When the vegetables and legumes are done cooking, allow them to cool slightly before making the soup. When the garlic bulb is cool enough to handle, squeeze until the cloves come out easily; they should be very soft.

To make the soup, you can use either a food processor or an immersion blender. If using the latter, combine the vegetables, legumes and remaining ingredients in a large pot and blend, adding the water as you go to reach the desired consistency.

If using a food processor, first combine the milk, spices, and legumes; blend. Add the nutritional yeast, dates, and 1/4 cup water; blend. Add the onion, garlic, and another 1/4 cup water; blend. At this stage, my processor was full to max capacity, so I simply removed some of the soup to a bowl to recombine later; if you have a larger processor just keep going. Add the beets one chunk at a time and any additional water you need to reach the desired consistency.

Serve with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of cumin for garnish if desired. Enjoy!