I hope that you are all enjoying the last few weeks of summer and that the heat and humidity aren’t weighing you down. Like many of you, my summer has been busy with friends, parties and travel as well as a demanding work schedule, but despite the heat, I am doing my best to not wilt under the demands of life or the oppressive humidity. Starting the season with the Bodhi detox cleanse was incredibly helpful, so much so that I am gearing up for another round of it after Labor Day. I am also taking advantage of the light, fresh foods that are available this time of year. It’s been fun to experiment and try different recipes (grilled zucchini with toasted pignoli nuts ~ yum!) and return to tried and true favorites, such as this gazpacho recipe that follows.
What I have learned throughout this particular season is to really listen to what my body wants and needs rather than giving it what might be easy. Rather than picking up a salad at Café Metro, I’ve been bringing gazpacho with fresh, delicious melon to the office and making a meal out of that. I’ve also made a lot of brown rice pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, basil and oregano. Another staple has been asparagus omelets with sliced tomatoes (great breakfast for an energy packed day).
Fun nutrition tip: If you have not planted a basil plant for yourself this season, then go out and buy one now, allowing it several weeks to grow before pesto season. I will do a future blog on pesto and how to use it throughout the winter.
Enjoy what is left of summer!
Barbara
Gazpacho Recipe
This is one of my favorite summer recipes. It is easy and delicious and loaded in vitamins, minerals, fiber and most importantly in this heat and humidity, water! As an added benefit, it is a raw food so it is also a great source of enzymes which help with proper cell replication and detoxification, tissue repair and regeneration.
To make it more colorful and thereby increasing its antioxidant potential, you can use different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, such as Black Krim or Cherokee Purple as well as red, orange or yellow peppers instead of green.
This is a staple in my home during the hot, humid days of August. A batch will last a few days and is great as a meal or as a low calorie snack.
Ingredients
• 3 pounds tomatoes, diced small
• 1 Green or red pepper, diced small
• 1 seedless cucumber, diced small
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed (use gloves to remove seeds to avoid contact with skin)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (this depends on how much you love garlic. Garlic is great for your health, so I say the more the better)
• ½ red onion
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• ½ cup water
• Juice of one lime
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Avocado (optional)
Directions
Place diced tomatoes, cucumber and pepper in a large bowl. Place jalapeno and garlic in food processor and process until smooth. Add chunks of red onion and pulse until chopped small. Add cilantro and parsley and pulse until chopped coarsely. Add to tomato mixture. Add water, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Cover and let chill for 1 hour minimum. Serve with diced avocado, if desired.
Note: For a smoother, less chunky version, puree in food processor.