It’s too bad the hottest season comes hand-in-hand with a bounty of veggies that are just begging to be cooked. Fortunately, there is a myriad of ways to bypass the hot stove and still enjoy a cool meal. Let’s make some cold soup:
Cucumber Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers diced (leave the peel on for maximum nutrition)
- 2 1/2 cups yogurt, Greek or plain
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Handful of fresh mint and a handful dill, stemmed and shredded (or other favorite fresh herbs like parsley, or cilantro)
- 6 ice cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse and prep vegetables. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavors to fuse about 30 minutes.
- Delicious served with toast.
Melon Soup
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 melon or cantaloupe, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup yogurt, Greek or plain
- Juice of 1 lime
- Dash of curry powder
- Sprig of fresh mint or basil, stemmed and shredded
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processors and process til smooth.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Stir before serving.
Gazpacho
Ingredients:
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 3 cups tomato juice
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Rinse and prep the vegetables.
2. Combine cut vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the liquids and sprinkle with sugar.
3. Stir gently until the ingredients are well-blended. Cover and chill in the fridge for 3 hours. Serve with Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce for an added kick.
Raw Beet Borsch
Ingredients:
- 1/2 a cup of water, soy milk, or yogurt
- 1 medium size tomato
- 2 medium size beet
- 2 carrots
- 3/4 cup shredded cabbage
- Garlic and onion to taste
- A little vegetable oil
- A handful of chopped dill
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Blend everything except for the carrots, beets, cabbage, and dill.
- Shred the carrots, beets, and cabbage (to add texture) and combine with blended mixture.
- Sprinkle a generous helping of dill on top and enjoy!
- Adapted from www.panyvinito.com
For more inspiration, take a look at these 12 Cold Summer Soups selected by the one and only Mark Bittman for the New York Times.
