It’s warming up outside and everyone is starting to think about summer. When the temperature goes up, we have to be careful to stay hydrated. One of my favorite summer snacks to hydrate and provide sustenance, without slowing me down is Gazpacho. I sometimes like to have a bowl before a workout. It gives me the boost of orange juice, without the sugar and with more substance and complexity of flavor. Getting back to basics with raw, healthy natural foods is a great way to cleanse our bodies and provide ourselves with sustained energy. Here is a quick recipe for a homemade version of Gazpacho that can be made in about 15 mins:
Groovy Gazpacho
Puree the following in a food processor until smooth:
3 vine-ripened tomatoes or 4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
2 red bell peppers
2 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups of tomato juice
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt
Alternatively, you can make this delicious Watermelon Gazpacho.
Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, basil or mint at the end if you desire , but do not puree in food processor, because it will ruin the red color of the gazpacho. You can also add hand-chopped mango, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, avocado and/or shrimp to the final soup for more texture and complexity of flavor.
Wine pairing: A crisp white wine with good acidity like Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo or Torrontes. A dry sherry like a Palo Cortado would be an authentic Spanish pairing.
Enjoy! And please leave comments or ideas about how you like to jazz up your gazpacho.