Alright, so here’s what happened today. Woke up thinking about Ukraine again – seeing so much news, you know? Made me wonder, what do folks actually eat over there day-to-day? And more importantly, could any of it be simple, healthy stuff? Just nice, light meals. Decided to dive in and try cooking a few things myself. No fancy plans, just winging it.

Starting Point: Basic Hunting
First things first, needed ideas. Didn’t feel like scrolling online endlessly. Just popped into my local store. Wandered around the vegetable section mostly. Grabbed some beets – remember hearing they’re big in Ukrainian cooking. Picked up carrots, cabbage, potatoes, some dill. Found this buckwheat – wasn’t sure, but thought “why not?” Looked kinda hearty. Also grabbed plain yogurt and some sour cream.
The First Try: Mini Borscht Disaster… Almost
Heard so much about borscht. Looked complicated, so tried making a small, light version. Didn’t need a huge pot. Sliced the beets thin, chopped carrots and potatoes small. Tossed them with onion and cabbage into broth. Kept it on low heat, just simmering slowly. Honestly, worried about staining everything red! Let it bubble gently while I tackled other stuff. Left it simmering longer than planned, about 30 minutes extra. Walked back expecting mush… but surprise! The flavours had blended really nicely. It tasted… clean? Earthy, sweet, not heavy at all. Ate a small bowl, felt satisfying without weighing me down.
Buckwheat Surprise & Yogurt Mess
Next up, that buckwheat. Found instructions simple: boil like rice, one part grain to two parts water. Figured plain water might be boring. Threw in a tiny vegetable stock cube. Simple move. While that cooked, got ambitious. Tried making a quick yogurt-dill sauce for veggies. Had plain yogurt, chopped dill, garlic powder. Sounded easy. Got careless, dumped way too much salt. Tasted awful! Major fail. Scrapped that mess. Instead, just dipped cucumber slices into the plain yogurt. That worked. Clean, fresh, crispy.
Buckwheat was ready by then. Fluffed it up. Expected sawdust. Actually tasted nutty and pleasant! Served it barely warm, with just a spoonful of the good sour cream I bought and the leftover dill. Very basic, very filling without being greasy or stodgy.
Putting Some Veggies Together
Had leftover cabbage and carrot. Didn’t want them sitting around. Made an impromptu salad. Shredded the cabbage thin, grated the carrot. Tossed them lightly with:

- A drizzle of sunflower oil (had some)
- A small splash of white vinegar
- A pinch of sugar
- Salt and pepper
Let it sit while finishing everything else. Nothing fancy, just chopped raw veggies. By the time I ate it, the cabbage had softened slightly but still crunchy. Cool, tangy, sharp. Perfect contrast to the warm buckwheat and borscht. Felt light and refreshing.
Why Bother Messing Up My Kitchen?
So what’s the point, right? Trying out these Ukrainian dishes? Here’s what I figured out from burning… er, cooking today:
- Root Power: Stuff like beets, carrots, potatoes, cabbage… they’re base veggies. Cheap, store well, and pack nutrients naturally.
- Herbs Shine: Dill. It’s everywhere. Used fresh here, made a huge difference in taste without needing heavy sauces or fats.
- Simple is Key: Both the mini-borscht and the buckwheat relied on simple simmering/boiling. Minimal oil, just letting ingredients do their thing.
- Fermentation Friend? While my yogurt sauce flopped, plain yogurt/sour cream are staples there – natural probiotics.
Felt good eating this stuff. The meals weren’t huge, but they satisfied. Like my stomach felt comfortable after, not stuffed or sluggish. Especially liked the crunch of the salad.
Biggest Takeaway?
You don’t need wild ingredients or crazy recipes for healthy, light eating. Ukrainian food seems built on staples prepared simply. Focusing on whole veggies, whole grains like buckwheat, and good flavor boosters (hello, dill!) can make real, satisfying food. My yoghurt sauce still sucked, but hey, next time less salt! The point wasn’t perfection today, it was exploring something different.