Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Gazpacho originated out of the area of Andalusia. It was a 'liquid soup' made up of old bread, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and garlic. Now, I love me some bread, but if you're not going to really bite into it and taste its yeasty goodness, I do not see the point in putting it in a soup. So, I have left the bread out of this version. I really like the chunks but if you don't, then just puree all the ingredients in batches. Gazpacho is great for summer eating when heavy food just sounds disgusting, and it's also great for dieting. It's truly delicious and super low in calories. The only fat is a little bit of heart-healthy olive oil and avocado, both of which you could leave out if you are eating fat-free (which I don't suggest unless you have been told to eat that way by your doctor. Healthy fats are actually crucial to healthy bodies!) This will make a lot of soup, so it's great to have it in the fridge to just grab for an easy lunch, snack, or dinner. Enjoy!

3 heirloom tomatoes (about 2 lbs), diced

1 seedless cucumber (the long kind that comes wrapped in plastic), diced

2 red/yellow/orange bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red onion, chunked

1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped

1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper

16 oz. tomato juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons good-quality olive oil

Salt and pepper

Lemon

Avocado

1. In a blender, add half the tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, all the onion, both garlic cloves, parsley, basil, jalapeno pepper, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, and a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl.

2. Add the remaining tomato, pepper, and cucumber to the pureed soup. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add lemon if desired. Garnish with diced avocado. Easy!!!

Makes 6 servings.

Printable version here.