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