Cool Gazpacho

This dish is absolutely perfect for hot summer days and nights, with it’s refreshing flavors of cucumber, tomato and fresh herbs this soup is a great way to beat the heat. I took guidance from a recipe on About.com, but changed things up a little bit. Below is my adaptation.

Ingredients (3-4 servings):

1 Medium sized cucumber, sliced/chopped

3 Tomatoes, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, de-stemmed/seeded & chopped

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1/2 White Onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. Fresh Cilantro, minced

1 tsp. Fresh Basil, minced

A pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a fairly large blender or food processor, put the softer ingredients at the bottom to have it puree more easily. Blend until completely smooth and chill in the refrigerator before serving. I garnished my gazpacho with a dab of plain cashew cream and it was delicious!