| Summer is coming and so is the hot weather. | | | | |
| Nobody likes to cook in the heat of summer. A | | | | 1 teaspoon cumin (best to use fresh ground in |
| really hot meal on a hot day is almost as | | | | the soup and you can sprinkle seeds on top |
| unpopular. It could be that a cool, easy to | | | | too) |
| prepare summer soup is just what you need. | | | | |
| | | | 1/4 cup of sour cream |
| Below are 3 recipes for soups that can be | | | | |
| made in your food processor or blender. If | | | | 1-2 green onions chopped fine |
| you have the ingredients on hand, none of | | | | |
| them take more than 10 minutes to make. They | | | | Process: |
| are all delicious, nutritious, and really | | | | |
| refreshing on a hot day. While the recipes | | | | Put the beans, salsa, cumin, and soup stock |
| all suggest you use a food processor, you can | | | | into a food processor (a blender is OK too). |
| get very good results by using a blender or | | | | Puree the mixture until it is creamy in |
| hand blender too. | | | | texture. Pour the mixture into a mid-sized |
| | | | pot and heat on low-medium until it is |
| These are all very simple recipes, so don't | | | | completely hot. This allows the flavours to |
| be shy to modify them and get a taste that | | | | merge. If you are going to serve it cold, |
| your whole family can enjoy. | | | | move it to the fridge to cool off till it is |
| | | | time to eat. To eat it hot, simply serve into |
| Here are the recipes. | | | | bowls and garnish with the onions and some of |
| | | | the sour cream. |
| Summer Vegetarian soup | | | | |
| | | | MANGO SOUP |
| This is great tasting soup with a touch of | | | | |
| Italy included. It is super easy to make and | | | | Mangos are simply divine. They are great as a |
| very healthy. It is particularly good on a | | | | fruit, mixed into drinks, added to salads. |
| hot summer dayan avocado - skin and pit | | | | They also make a really good cool summer soup |
| removed of course | | | | which is explained below. |
| | | | |
| 4 Roma tomatoes - they may not be quite juicy | | | | Ingredients: |
| enough (see below) | | | | |
| | | | 1 large RIPE mango (it will be soft, no |
| Basil to taste (Thai basil is really good in | | | | squishy, to touch) |
| this) | | | | |
| | | | 2 cups chicken soup stock (make your own or |
| 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil | | | | use bullion if you must) |
| | | | |
| Process | | | | 1 TBSP lemon grass (available in most Asian |
| | | | markets, it looks like long greenish reeds |
| How easy is this soup? Simply throw | | | | when you buy it) |
| everything into your food processor and mix | | | | |
| until it is smooth. If you find that it is | | | | 1 TBSP ginger - Freshly chopped is best |
| more like a smoothie than soup, simply add | | | | |
| more liquid (or swap one of the Roma tomatoes | | | | Ground chili peppers to taste |
| for another more juicy variety). Pour into | | | | |
| bowls, garnish as you wish (minced chives are | | | | 1 cup yogurt (2% plain is best) |
| nice) and enjoy. | | | | |
| | | | 2 TBSP cilantro (chinese parsley) chopped |
| Sensational Salsa & Black Bean | | | | fine |
| | | | |
| This soup is a very simple soup that takes | | | | Process: |
| just a few minutes to prepare. It can be | | | | |
| served hot or cold, but always benefits from | | | | Chop mango and put in food processor. Mix |
| being heated. | | | | briefly and then put in the ginger, lemon |
| | | | grass, chili and 1/2 cup of soup stock. Mix |
| Roughly 4 servings | | | | again till everything becomes very smooth. |
| | | | Move the soup into another bowl (be sure it |
| INGREDIENTS: | | | | is large enough) and mix in first the rest of |
| | | | the stock, and then the yogurt. This is best |
| 2 normal sized cans of black beans (any brand | | | | served cold, so put in fridge till you are |
| is OK, but try for low salt) | | | | ready to eat. Then put into bowls and serve |
| | | | with the cilantro as the garnish. |
| 1 1/2 cups soup stock (Just use chicken, | | | | |
| beef, or vegetable bullion) | | | | As the temperature starts to go up give these |
| | | | soups a try. They are all very simple and |
| 1 cup of your favorite salsa (chunky makes a | | | | will add a new delicious and healthy |
| heartier soup) | | | | dimension to your summer diet. |