For most of us, the word “soup” invokes fond memories of warming up on a cold winter day. But gazpacho, a chilled soup made with chopped vegetables, was invented for summer! Midsummer’s bounty of healthy vegetables makes it easy to prepare this refreshing gazpacho recipe, perfect for a light starter to a lunch or dinner on a too-hot-to-cook day.

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (Phase 1)

Description
Remarkably flavorful heirloom tomatoes, which are grown from old-fashioned seed varieties, come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Most are sweeter and juicier than conventional tomatoes. Here they turn gazpacho into something really special. Use any type of heirloom available at your local farmers market. The color of your soup will vary accordingly.

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus 1 contrasting-color heirloom tomato for garnish
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/3 cup parsley leaves
1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 small jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup ice cubes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
In a blender, combine 2 pounds tomatoes and garlic; puree until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

In the blender, combine cucumber, bell pepper, parsley, onion, jalapeño, and ice; puree to a slightly chunky texture. Add to the bowl with tomato mixture. Stir in oil, vinegar, and salt. Transfer gazpacho to a covered container and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Just before serving, cut remaining tomato into small dice. Divide gazpacho among 4 shallow bowls, top with diced tomato, and serve.

Nutritional information:
Per 1 1/2 cup serving:
100 calories
4.5 g fat (0.5 g sat)
16 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
4 g fiber
170 mg sodium