Watermelon Gazpacho

On one of the rare steamy hot summer days in Duluth last week, I yearned for a cold, refreshing soup that was a bit different from my usual tomato gazpacho or cucumber soups.  This one from Eating Well fit the description for my desires.  The only modification I made to it was to reduce the amount of olive oil and salt.  I considered trying coconut oil in it, but thought the coconut oil would harden in a cold soup.  So I opted for the olive oil and reduced the amount.

Unfortunately, by the time I could make the soup, the temperature was down to 61 degrees.   But the soup was still filled with Pzazz!  My husband, Tom, and our son, Sam, both gave it a thumbs up, as well.  


Ingredients:
8 cups finely diced seedless watermelon, (about 6 pounds with the rind)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Puree to desired consistency.  My immersion blender worked well for this. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition per serving :
Servings per recipe: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 68
Total Fat:  2 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium: 138  mg
Total Carbs: 12 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g

Cold Pickled Beet and Basil Soup

I had originally planned to make a warm beet soup, but realized Tom hadn't planted many beets this year and the few we have aren't quite ready to be harvested. But I did have a jar of pickled beets in the cupboard. And an abundance of basil in the pots on the deck.  Thus a marriage of flavors was born. Beets and basil are an exquisite couple.  

As I was beginning to take a photo of this incredibly delicious and simple soup, Tom brought me a few of the highly fragrant Nicotiana flowers from the garden. These flowers are fragrant only in the evening, but attract hummingbirds throughout the day to their trumpet shaped flowers.  They are also known as Tobacco Flower, and have high concentrations of nicotine.  

Even if you don't have any Nicotiana to add to your dining Pzazz, I think you will enjoy this soup.  
  

Potted basil  and other flowers and herbs on the deck 

Ingredients:
8 whole pickled beets (medium sized)
4 -5 fresh purple basil leaves and extra for garnish (either green or purple)

Purple Basil and Genovese Basil 

Preparation:
I used my Magic Bullet to puree the beets and basil together and it worked perfectly.  You might need to add just a bit of the beet juice to get the consistency you want.

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 81
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium:  260 mg
Total Carbs: 20 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 0 g

Variety of Nicotiana from the garden

Cold Tomato-Cilantro Soup

The weather forecast was for a couple of warm and sunny days in the midst of the persistent rain, fog and cool days we have been experiencing in Duluth.  Time to prepare for my quintessential summer day - eating lunch on the deck in the sunshine, while watching the hummingbirds and yellow finches dart among the flowers.  Finally, I would be able to try out this recipe that I found on the NY Times site for a tomato-cilantro soup.  The weather and the soup both delivered!  A wonderful lunch on the deck on a sunny summer day in Duluth, and I even used up a large portion of the abundant cilantro in the deck pots.

The only modification I made to the recipe that I found on the NY Times was to use coconut oil rather than olive oil, and to reduce the amount of water from 4 cups to 2 cups. Four cups seemed too much to my culinary instincts, and I was right - at least for the consistency of a cold soup that I like.  The soup also maintained a great consistency in the refrigerator for a few days, while I waited for another warm, sunny day to enjoy on the deck.  Fortunately, we have had a few more of those delightful days!

 Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small bunches fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large or 3 small garlic cloves

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 28-ounce can tomatoes, whole or diced, with liquid
2 cups water

Salt and black pepper to taste
1 lime

Preparation:
Pull off a small handful of cilantro leaves to use for garnish and set aside.  Tie remaining cilantro into a  bundle with kitchen twine.
Heat oil in a deep, medium-size heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring until softened and golden, about 8 minutes; reduce heat as needed to prevent browning.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute; then add tomato paste, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, and cook until tomato paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes more.
Add tomatoes with liquid, 2 cups water, and cilantro bundle, and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer 30 minutes, covered.  Set aside until cool enough to blend, then remove cilantro bundle.  Using regular or hand-held blender, blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, squeeze in juice of half a lime, and add salt and pepper to taste; the soup should not be very salty.  If desired, squeeze in remaining lime juice.  Serve in small bowls or cups, garnished with a few whole cilantro leaves.

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 5
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 95
Total Fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 165 mg
Total Carbs: 9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g


From The NYTimes

Published: March 24, 2009

Adapted from “Mediterranean Light,” by Martha Rose Shulman (Morrow, 2000)

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Mexican Cold Cucumber Cilantro Soup

The cilantro in the pots on our deck have flourished in the past week.  I wish I could say that it was because of wonderfully warm weather, but that hasn't been the case here in Duluth.  Today our high was 50 degrees with rain, fog, and a strong wind from Lake Superior. Sometimes I think if I try hard enough warm weather will arrive.  So I try to induce warmer weather by wearing capris rather than polar fleece jackets.  I try by  bringing my lunch to the deck.  I try by making cool, refreshing soups.  Ah...Mother Nature will have none of my cajoling. So, I taste this wonderfully refreshing soup and decide if I eat it with a heated Amy's gluten-free, dairy-free burrito I can have a bite of summer with the warmth of comfort food. I have to say the combination was delightful!

If cilantro isn't your thing, (and I've heard that it is a genetic preference), then you might not like this.  Tom and I both thought it was refreshing and light. 

The original recipe was from Food.com and used skim milk.   I substituted goat yogurt, and was very delighted with the result.  I was also surprised that the soup was not too watery.  I think it was the goat yogurt that made it just the right consistency and it maintained its consistency for a couple of days in the refrigerator.  

What's your favorite way to use cilantro?  As you can see from the photos, I have an abundance of it and have some other ideas to try, but would love to hear from you. 

Ingredients:
1 lb. cucumbers, (about 2 large cukes), peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup cilantro (firmly packed)
1/2 cup plain goat yogurt or plain dairy yogurt or skim milk. 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice  

Preparation:
Puree all ingredients in blender. Cover and chill until very cold, at least 4 hours.   Serve and garnish with cilantro leaves, or the original recipe suggested chopped chives.

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 2
Serving Size: 1 3/4  cup
Calories: 61
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 3  mg
Sodium: 355  mg
Total Carbs: 10 g
Dietary Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Mint Pea Soup

This recipe originated from BonAppetit.  Peas with mint are a traditional combination, but this soup takes it to a whole new delectable level!  Vibrant spring green soup with mint and parsley made it perfect for lunch on the deck.  On May 17, I posted Quick Chilled Pea Soup that also had mint with peas, but additionally it included spinach and garlic.  Both soups are great, with this one being a bit more sweet.

My Lebanese mint is finally making a breakthrough in the herb garden.  It was given to me by a friend who received it from a relative in Lebanon. She warned me that, like all mints, it is highly invasive, so I planted it in a pot in the herb garden to keep from spreading too much.  

Lebanese Mint

And the chive plants just keep getting bigger and more abundant in the herb garden. The parsley is in a pot with cilantro and dill on the deck and all are thriving well in the finally warm weather of Duluth!

Chives on June 11

Parsley

Of course, I needed to make some modifications to the original recipe to meet my needs.  I used coconut oil rather than butter and I used non-fat Greek Fage yogurt rather than the sour cream and heavy cream that the original recipe mixed together and swirled into the soup.

On a side-note, at one of my medical appointments this week, I had more lab work done, including LDL levels. LDL is the "bad cholesterol", and the optimal level is below 100.   Since I started using coconut oil about 4 years ago, my LDL has consistently been coming down.  This time it was 85!  Pzazz Hurray for coconut oil!  

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons coconut oil 
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
6 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 6 pounds pods) or frozen peas, thawed (I used 6 cups frozen peas)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground pepper  

Garnishes: 
1/4 non-fat Greek Fage
Chopped fresh chives 

Preparation:
Melt oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes for fresh peas, about 2 minutes for frozen.

Remove pot from heat. Add parsley, mint, and remaining 2 cups broth to pot. Purée soup in a blender or with an immersion blender, thinning with water if soup is too thick, until smooth. Season soup with salt and pepper. (I didn't add any additional salt, as I thought it was fine without it.) 

Serve warm soup topped with chives mixed with Greek yogurt. I had the soup cold for lunch one day this week and it was just as delicious!                                       

Nutrition per serving:                        

Servings per recipe: 6

Chives on May 16

Serving Size: generous 1 cup  
Calories:  173
Total Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium:  213 mg
Total Carbs: 22 g
Dietary Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 10 g

Quick Chilled Pea Soup

Quick Chilled Pea Soup

I found a recipe for Quick Chilled Pea Soup in the April 2013 issue of Cooking Light and the thought of a chilled soup that used peas seemed an appropriate way to celebrate the warm weather that finally arrived in Duluth. The day I made it, the sun was shining and it was 66 degrees. But today, the temperature plummeted to 46 degrees.  So, rather than eating it cold today, I heated it. It warmed my chilly body and soul and was still delicious. It became Quick "For the Chilled" Pea Soup.  

I needed to modify the recipe in several ways to accommodate my needs, such as eliminating the half-n-half and the garnish of sauteed peas.  I retained the olive oil but reduced the amount substantially.  I just wasn't sure how coconut oil would taste with peas.

The original recipe appealed to me because of the addition of the spinach to a traditional combination of mint and peas.  Not only did the spinach enhance the green color, it also increased the nutrient value. Pzazz even on a chilly day.

Mint

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen petite green peas
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2  teaspoon olive oil                                    
1 minced garlic clove
1 cup ice water
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Plain non-fat yogurt for garnish (not included in nutritional analysis) 

Preparation:
Place the peas and 1/4 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl.  (I used my large glass Pyrex container so I could use my immersion blender to puree the soup.)  Cover the container with plastic wrap; pierce once with a knife to vent.  Microwave at high for 5 minutes.  Add 2 cups fresh baby spinach; cover and microwave at high for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse well with cold water; drain.   Place the spinach mixture, olive oil, garlic clove, ice water, mint, lemon juice and salt into the Pyrex container (or a blender if you used a regular bowl).  Blend until smooth.  Garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately, or chill.  Or wait for a cold day and serve it warm.

Ready to puree

Nutrition per serving:                                              
Servings per recipe: 4                                              
Serving Size: About 3/4  cup    
Calories: 101                                                      
Total Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg                
Sodium:  19 mg
Total Carbs: 15 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 5 g

Lemon Asparagus Soup

I found this recipe at  Eating Well.com. The original title was "Garden-Fresh Asparagus Soup", but since our vegetable garden was still covered with snow the day I made it, I couldn't use any "garden fresh" ingredients, so I renamed it Lemon Asparagus Soup. 

The modifications I made to fit my dietary needs were to use 3 Tablespoons coconut oil rather than 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 2 Tablespoons butter.  I also used non-fat Greek yogurt rather than sour cream for the garnish. The nutritional analysis reflects the changes I made.  

I was a bit skeptical about adding the juice of one whole lemon to the yogurt for the garnish, but was pleasantly surprised at the lively Pzazz this gave to the soup. 

The smell of the red potatoes simmering in onions and lemon zest with just a bit of curry and ginger was intoxicating.  (It makes me want to create a lemon-potato soup.) Then the addition of coconut milk made it exquisitely creamy.  It was even more appealing because of how simple and quick it was to prepare.  Spring Pzazz without spring!

Ingredients:

Simmering soup

3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Zest and juice of one lemon, divided
2 cups diced, peeled red potatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup "lite" coconut milk
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces trimmed asparagus (about 1 bunch)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup Greek non-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion greens, or chives

Preparation:
1.  Melt oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 - 10 minutes.  Stir in curry powder, ginger, lemon zest and potatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.  Stir in broth, coconut milk and asparagus.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, partially cover, and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2.  Puree the soup with an immersion blender or a regular blender (in batches) until smooth.  (Use caution when pureeing hot soups.)  Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
3.  Whisk yogurt, lemon juice and scallion greens (or chives) in a small bowl and garnish the soup with a swirl of it.  Or for one serving I just swirled the yogurt/lemon mixture into the soup and garnished with a tip of asparagus.
This soup can be served either warm or chilled.

Nutrition Per Serving:                                        

Servings per recipe: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 138                                  
Total Fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 489 mg
Total Carbs: 12 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein:  3 g

Zuke, Cuke, and Basil Soup

Zuke, Cuke and Basil Soup

Just when I thought I had exhausted all of the possibilities to use the bounty of zucchini growing in Tom's garden, I found a recipe for zucchini gazpacho.  But really?  Zucchini gazpacho???   And as I was trying to wrap my brain around the idea of zucchini gazpacho, I read the list of ingredients, and it seemed like a mish-mash of flavors including basil, dill, artichokes, squash blossoms, olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini.  Whoa....that's quite a mixture.  Maybe the fact that I found the recipe in a flyer for auto insurance should have alerted me to the lack of fine culinary taste.  Anyway, it was time to seriously modify this recipe as I could see some potential.   I retained the most basic ingredients of zucchini, cucumbers, tomato and basil to form the foundation of flavors, then added a dash of red wine vinegar for a punch of flavor.  It worked!  The fresh basil is what really made this refreshing, easy, attractive soup so full of Pzazz!  Bring on that zucchini!

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled, cubed zucchini
1/3 cup chopped tomato

Zucchini, cucumber and basil 

1/3 cup peeled, chopped cucumber        
5 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
dash of sea salt


Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a Magic Bullet or blender
and puree to desired consistency.


Nutrition: 
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 1 cup

Calories: 47
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg                        
Sodium:  12 mg
Total Carbs: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 4 g                                              
Protein: 2 g

Suyo Long Cucumber Gazpacho

Upon the recommendation of a friend,  Tom planted a new variety of cucumber in his garden this year - Suyo Long. These heirloom Asian seed can be purchased from  Fedco Seeds or Baker Creek Heirloom Seed.   Definitely a find! Each plant yields an abundance of mild, burpless, scrumptious, crunchy cukes. The length of some of the cucumbers are up to 15", with curly twisted tops.  The green rippled skin is remarkably thin and tender so there is no need to peel them.

Tom was eager to try them in gazpacho so he quickly whipped up this batch last night, similar to what I have made and posted before as my Easiest Ever Gazpacho.    His differed from mine by not including any celery, adding V-8 juice, and adding a dash of smoked sea salt.  He is as good of a cook as he is a gardener.  Lucky me!

Suyo Long Cucumbers from Tom's garden

Ingredients:
1 1/2 long, unpeeled cucumber (about 2 cups sliced) Any variety of long, seedless cucumber can be used
1 cup fresh salsa (purchase a variety as hot or as mild as you prefer.  Tom used Italian Rose Fresh Salsa.)
3/4 cup low-sodium V-8 vegetable juice
Dash of smoked sea salt

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients to desired consistency in a blender.  The ingredients have enough liquid that a blender is sufficient for this task.  Tom added a splash of hot sauce to his serving for additional Pzazz.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 2
Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup                                    
Calories: 49
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol:  0mg
Sodium: 642 mg
Total Carbs: 10 g
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Protein: 5 g

Cold Cucumber Avocado Soup with Watercress

Cold Cucumber Avocado Soup with Watercress

Another cold cucumber soup by Anna Thomas from her cookbook, Love Soup, spiced up my hot, humid day in Duluth.  Tom had planted watercress in a pot on the deck and this recipe was a good one to use it.  Watercress has an almost peppery, zippy taste and it Pzazzed up this soup just right.  Watercress also has great nutritional benefit as it is another member of the brassicacea family, so it contains many phytonutrients helpful for cancer inhibition.     

Watercress

Ingredients:
2 lbs soft-skinned cucumbers
6 oz. watercress
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small jalepeno pepper
1 large Haas avocado
1 - 2 teaspoons sea salt

Preparation:
Trim the ends off the cucumbers; taste each end, and trim off any bitter part.  Cut the cucumbers into cubes.  Wash the watercress, remove any heavy stems, and chop it roughly.  Combine half the cucumbers and most of the lemon juice in the container of a blender and puree.  The cucumbers will soon be a liquid, and you can then easily add the remaining cucumbers, the watercress, garlic and jalepeno.  Puree until everything is smooth.  Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, peel the avocado and the cut the flesh into cubes; you should have not quite 1 cup of diced avocado.  Add the avocado to the cucumber puree, along with a teaspoon of sea salt and process again.  The mixture will become thicker and creamier.  Stir everything in a bowl and taste.  Add more lemon juice and more salt, a bit at a time and stirring thoroughly each time, until the balance tastes right to you.  Chill the soup well.  Garnish as desired.

Note:   Anna Thomas suggests that this soup could be made with cilantro rather than watercress.  I think that would give it a very different, but still delightful taste.  I think I'll try that next time!


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 5
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 106
Total Fat: 6 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium: 486 mg
Total Carbs: 13 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 3 g

Cold Cucumber Cilantro Soup

Cold Cucumber Cilantro Soup

A friend of mine, Christal,  has been making yogurt from the goats she raises and sharing it with me. This yogurt is perfectly tangy, without the strong flavor typical of many goat yogurts. It is remarkably creamy, but thinner than most other types of cow or goat yogurt, and I often drink it rather than eat it with a spoon.  So I was eager to use it in this recipe for Cold Cucumber Cilantro Soup, which I found in Love Soup, by Anna Thomas.  You have heard me rave about the recipes from this cookbook in earlier blog posts.  I was looking for a cold soup recipe, since the weather in Duluth has been sizzling hot, like many other portions of the country recently. When I spotted this recipe and reviewed the ingredient list, I realized I had all of the necessary ingredients, with cilantro and mint growing in the herb garden. So I made it instantly, making only a half-batch to give it a try.  Ooooooh. I wished I had made the full batch because it was so tasty! Tom gave it the 2-thumbs up award, as well.  


Since the goat yogurt from Christal is a bit thinner than most, I reduced the amount when I made the soup, which worked perfectly. You can purchase goat yogurt in most health food stores and as well many traditional grocery stores. If you can't find goat yogurt, you could probably use plain cow yogurt. When I made the soup,  I wasn't so sure if the amount of cumin and jalapeno pepper would be too strong for me, so I cut those in half, as well. Also, I slightly reduced the amount of sea salt. The recipe listed below is Anna Thomas' original recipe and was used for the nutritional analysis.   


Just another quick note:  My husband, Tom, appreciates and understands the nuances of salt far better than I do, and enjoys exploring the many varieties of sea salts.  He encourages use of sea salt for several reasons.  First, typical table salt is bleached of all of its elements (except for added iodine).  Bleach is not something I want to consume for obvious reasons.  In contrast, sea salt contains important minerals and elements from the sea. Additionally, as Rebecca Katz notes, "When used in cooking, real salt--that is, sea salt--is used not to impart its own taste, but rather to unlock the flavor of every food it comes in contact with.  Sea salt crystals act like tiny scrubbing bubbles that release flavors."  (pg. 3.  One Bite at a Time). Have fun exploring the world of sea salt, goat yogurt, and cold soups with Pzazz!   

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Cold Cumber Cilantro Soup

2 teaspoons cumin seed, toasted and ground
4 cups peeled, chopped, seeded cucumber
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups goat yogurt
1/2 cup lightly packed mint leaves                      
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon finely minced,seeded jalapeno pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cilantro

Preparation:
Put the peeled, chopped, seeded cucumber into a bowl and toss with the sea salt and leave them in the bowl for at least 15 minutes. Do not drain. As the cucumbers are sitting in the bowl with the salt, toast the cumin seed by putting them in a saute pan on medium heat and lightly toast till fragrant.  Grind them with a mortar/pestle or in a spice grinder.  Add goat yogurt, mint, cilantro and jalapeno pepper to the cucumbers with their liquid. Add the ground cumin seed.  Puree to desired consistency. Stir in lemon juice.  Let chill for at least 3 hours before serving to your guest who will be most impressed! Even if that is you. I garnished mine with a flowering cilantro stalk. Anna Thomas suggests chopped, unsalted pistachio nuts as a garnish.

Mint

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories:140
Total Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 19  mg
Sodium: 528   mg
Total Carbs: 13 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 20 g

Strawberry Tomato Gazpacho

Cold summer soups are delightful, especially when it is sizzling hot outside. We need more heat and less rain in Duluth.  Gazpacho is a tomato-based, vegetable soup traditionally served cold, originating in Spain and Portugal. It is mostly consumed during the summer months, because of its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature.  I have savored the traditional tomato/cucumber/celery type of gazpacho and have posted that recipe for Easiest Ever Gazpacho on this blog previously.  So when I saw this recipe in the Whole Foods Co-op for a unique twist on an old favorite I was eager to try it.  Once again, the Whole Foods Co-Op did not disappoint me. I never would have imagined strawberries and tomatoes making a compatible friendship in a gazpacho. But after I made this soup and enjoyed it on the deck yesterday, I would now consider them close companions.  


When I made it, I made just a half-batch because I didn't know yet if I would like it or not.  Now I wish I had made a whole batch.  I used a small jalepeno pepper, and you might want to adjust the amount based on your tolerance or desire for spicy food.  

Enjoy -- and hope for more sunshine than rain.   

Ingredients:
1 lb. strawberries, washed, hulled & coarsely chopped
1 lb. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded)              
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds & removed                          
Zest of 1 lime
4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional garnish:  freshly snipped chives or cilantro

Preparation:
Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or VitaMix.  Stir well and adjust for salt, if desired.


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 51
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 229 mg
Total Carbs: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g

Cold Asparagus Soup

Nothing says spring to me more than asparagus.   Green, glorious, green.  Fresh, vibrant, and lively.  Yes, that describes this soup, too.  It's an adaptation of one from Anna Thomas' cookbook, Love Soup.  And I do indeed love this soup.  The original recipe used heavy cream, for which I substituted fat-free half-n-half.  It also used full-fat goat cheese, and I used fat-free feta cheese.  And I used coconut oil rather than olive oil.  And I omitted the cayenne pepper that was used in the original recipe.  I wanted the fresh dill taste to stand alone with the asparagus, which it did quite well.  Savor the fresh taste of spring!  


Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. fresh untrimmed asparagus
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
3 Tablespoons fat-free half-n-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 oz. reduced-fat Feta cheese
1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil (or 1 Tablespoon olive oil)
sea salt to taste
freshly ground white pepper to taste


Optional Garnishes:
fresh sprigs of dill
Greek yogurt


Preparation:
Break off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus stalks, then thinly peel the lower parts of the remaining stalks. You want as few of the strings as possible.  Cut the asparagus in pieces and simmer it in the vegetable broth until it is tender, about 10 minutes.  Allow the mixture to cool.  Combine all the ingredients and puree them in a VitaMix or similar blender.  The VitaMix did an extraordinarily good job of pureeing any asparagus strings that remained.  


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 5
Serving Size: Just a bit over 1 cup
Calories: 84
Total Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 4  mg
Sodium: 21   mg
Total Carbs: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 7

Creamy Raw Zucchini Soup

                                   Watch March Madness turn into March Gladness with this soup!

Kris Carr is a self-proclaimed wellness warrior.  She was diagnosed with a rare and incurable stage 4 cancer in 2003 and there was paltry information about what types of treatments would be of benefit to her.  So she blazed her own trail into a terrain of whole foods, raw foods, meditation, and joyful living.  She has published many books, including Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips, Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor, Crazy Sexy Diet and her newest book that will be released soon is Crazy Sexy Juices and Succulent Smoothies. Her approach to life and challenges is joyful, zany, and inspiring!  The recipe below is my modification of one of her original creations.  I reduced the amount of avocado in it and omitted the olive oil, predicting my digestive system would be screaming if I had that much fat.  I also peeled the zucchini prior to putting it into the VitaMix. Yep, my new VitaMix is getting a workout this week.  I am finding that it creates much smoother purees than my blender did.   Pzazzed Gladness!

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, peeled and chopped (about 1 generous cup)
1 cup fresh spinach (or other greens such as kale, chard, etc)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white miso
1/4  avocado, chopped
2 - 4 tablespoons fresh dill (or use dried dill)
1/4 cup water

Preparation:
Blend all ingredients on high in a VitaMix or blender until smooth. Garnish with a sprig of whatever herb is growing in your kitchen herb garden. Oregano, thyme and rosemary are thriving in my window these days.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: Approx 1 cup
Calories: 122
Total Fat:  7 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 215  mg
Total Carbs: 15  g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 3 g

Chilled Beet and Blueberry Soup

My mother loved me.  Not only because I was her child, but because I gladly ate vegetables and actually liked them, including beets.  So mom and I shared an affinity for beets prepared numerous ways. Well, I can no longer tolerate a beet sandwich (sliced, cooked beets on sourdough bread slathered with mayonnaise)  or a beet salad.  But my love for beets hasn't changed one bit.  So Tom harvested the beets from our garden; I boiled them in their skins and then placed them in cold water to make the skins slip off easily. (Mom taught me so well!) Then I contemplated what I would do with these beautiful jewels.  I started with a puree of beets and kefir and discovered it was delicious.  Then I turned around and saw the last of the garden blueberries sitting on the table.  Hmmmm....blueberries and beets?   Why not?   Wow!  Not only was it beautiful; it was tangy, tasty and nutritious.  Try it and be surprised.  And thank your mother for making you eat your vegetables.  And for loving you even when you don't.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-fat plain kefir

1 cup sliced, cooked beets, chilled   

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Preparation:

Puree all ingredients in a blender.  If the ingredients are chilled prior to blending them, just eat and enjoy.  Otherwise, I suggest chilling it for about 30 minutes. 

Nutrition:

Servings per recipe: 1

Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup

Calories: 122
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 3 mg
Sodium: 139 mg
Total Carbs: 24 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g

Protein: 7 g

Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup

This is an adaptation of a recipe from The Soup Bible.  This chilled soup is another way to savor zucchini before you give away the excess to neighbors...if they don't duck into their garage when they see you carrying one more in their direction. Honestly, when you taste how good this soup is, you will want to keep the zucchini all to yourself.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped                               

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pound zucchini, roughly chopped                      
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
sprigs of fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation:
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, coriander and cumin and cook over gentle heat for 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, covered, until zucchini begins to soften.  Pour in stock and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until zucchini are cooked.  Remove from heat and cool a little.

Blend contents of pan until smooth.  Chill.  When cold, stir in buttermilk.  Keep cool until ready to serve.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro sprigs. 

Nutrition:

Tom discovered more summer squash!

Servings per recipe: 6

Serving Size: 1 cup  (approx)                       
Calories: 55
Total Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 48 mg
Total Carbs: 7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g

Cucumber Mint Refresher

The temperatures in Duluth are finally feeling more like summer and I am ready for fresh non-starchy vegetables!  I definitely miss eating salads in the summer, but have found alternatives that are tasty and satisfying.   This is one of my favorites to add some vegetable zing to a summer meal.  It is also a great way to use the abundance of fresh mint in my herb garden.  Mint is also purported to aid digestion and is high in Vitamins A and C, as well as manganese. 

Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber, peeled
4 - 6 fresh mint leaves

Preparation:
Chunk the cucumber and snip the fresh mint leaves into small pieces.  Put it all in the blender and wala!  It's as easy as that.  I added just a pinch of fresh sea salt.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories:  34
Total Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 11  mg
Total Carbs:  6 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g

Refreshing Cucumber Soup

I had planned to make my Easiest Ever Gazpacho soup, but realized I didn't have any salsa.  So I created this soup instead as a quick and tasty way to get some fresh vegetables.  It also helped use up leftovers from the vegetable tray served on Father's Day yesterday. I needed to add the V8 juice to provide enough liquid for the blender to handle it well.  Lucky for me, I had some in the cupboard.  

Ingredients:
1 small can (5.5 oz) low-sodium V8 Juice
2 cups peeled and chunked cucumber (about 1 1/2 large cucumbers)
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
6 cherry tomatoes

Preparation:
Pour the juice into the blender first, then add the cucumber and puree.  Add remaining ingredients and process till desired consistency is obtained. 

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 4
Serving Size:  1 cup
Calories:  27
Total Fat:  0 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium:  54 mg
Total Carbs:  6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein:  1 g

Easiest Ever Gazpacho

I made this a couple of days ago based on what I had available and what I was craving.   It couldn't be any easier to make this flavorful chilled summer soup.

Ingredients:                                                                          

1/4 cup mild salsa                                                                       
1 medium cucumber, peeled and chunked
1 cup diced celery

Preparation:
Put it all in the blender and watch it whir!  Eat with delight.

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 1
Serving Size:  Approximately 2/3 cup
Calories:  62
Fat:  1 g
Cholesterol:  0
Sodium:  389 mg
Total carbohydrates:  13 g 
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein:  3