Have Your Soup and Keep Your Cool

Creamy Cucumber via FitnessMagazine.com

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves  garlic, minced

1   small onion, diced

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

4 cups  peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided

1 1/2 cups  vegetable broth , or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon  salt

1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper

Pinch of  cayenne pepper

1   avocado, diced

1/4 cup  chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup  low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 3/4 cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Transfer the soup to a blender. Add avocado and parsley; blend on low speed until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve it chilled. Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley, if desired.

Tip:

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Peach, Basil, and Golden Tomato Gazpacho via Fitnessmagazine.com

 Ingredients:

4 c. peaches

2 c. golden tomatoes

2 c. cucumber

1 small red onion, halved and peeled

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. champagne vinegar

2 limes, juiced

1 large handful basil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried red chili flakes

1 tsp. honey

2 ½ tsp. sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 c. filtered water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until well combined, but still chunky. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until completely chilled. Serve garnished with finely diced peach or tomato.

Cold Watermelon Soup  via Foodandwine.com

Ingredients:

5 cups (1.5 pounds) diced seedless watermelon, chilled

.    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

.    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chervil leaves

.    2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

.    2 grams xanthan gum ( 1/2 teaspoon)

.    Tabasco

.    Salt

.    Chervil or shredded shiso leaves, for garnish

Directions:

In a blender, puree the diced watermelon with the fresh lime juice, chervil leaves and extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture is very smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the watermelon puree, pressing very lightly on the solids to extract the watermelon juice without pushing the pulp through

Rinse out the blender and return the strained watermelon juice to it. With the blender on, add the xanthan gum and blend until slightly thickened, about 15 seconds. Transfer the watermelon soup to a pitcher and season with Tabasco and salt. Refrigerate until the soup is well-chilled, about 20 minutes. Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with chervil or shredded shiso leaves.