Summer Gazpacho

Gazpacho is the most summer soup ever- and if you love tomatoes- its a MUST TRY. This chilled soup actually originates from Spain but is widely popular in Europe and is something I could eat DAILY. This soup is nutrient dense- packed with the antioxidants lyopene and carotenoids. These help fight free radicals and keep your skin free of spots and wrinkles. This soup is also rich in vitamin C, which is great for skin and the immune system (YES- its important to support your immune system in the summer as well and Vitamin C helps synthesize collagen production!)

Gazpacho is also rich in fiber and relatively low in calories. Last but not least- the combination of tomatoes, cucumber, garlic and olive oil in this soup has been shown to lower blood pressure.

SO yes! I am now convinced- this is the perfect summer soup!

To get started you need a few tools. Yes- you could use a blender but I really prefer to make gazpacho with a food processor. I like a little chunk to my soup (a total puree could work but I like little bite) and a food processor allow you to control that. Additionally, you want fresh ripe tomatoes. I highly recommend hitting your farmers market to purchase your tomatoes and leave them out on your counter for a day or two to fully ripen. Last but not least- I use a spoon to carve out the seeds of the cucumber. It results in a smoother soup and those pesky seeds are known to give people gas and bloat.

Last thing to mention- you can get creative and add fruit like diced watermelon or honey dew to this soup, but my version is more simple- and yes its gluten free!

Here is the recipe

Ingredients: (makes two servings)

1 pound of tomatoes- I used a variety from the farmers market (diced)

1 large cucumber- peeled and seeds removed (diced)

1 bell pepper-diced

1 large glove of garlic

2 medium sized shallots (diced)

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

3 tablespoons of a good quality olive oil

1-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (can sub red wine but sherry really is best!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: Basil, finely diced cucumber or peppers, additional salt and olive oil. You can also add toasted bread crumbs or a spoon of sour cream for a treat!

Place all ingredient minus garnish in a food processor and pulse blend until you have the texture you want. To thin the soup, add additional water or olive oil. Chill before serving.

Want more recipes like this? Check out my POWERSHIFT cookbook HERE!