happy eats: gazpacho!

Get out your aprons, Happy Ladies! It’s cooking time!

We recently posted a picture of our post-workout recovery meal on Instagram and received lots of requests for the Gazpacho recipe. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Gazpacho, it’s a cold, tomato-based soup that is made almost entirely of raw vegetables. Truth be told, we were just recently turned onto Gazpacho by one of Vicki’s friends, and this was her first time making it. Lucky for us, it turned out great!!

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 gloves of garlic, minced

46 oz of canned tomatoes (I chose cans that were half diced tomatoes and half tomato puree)

1 Jalapeño, seeds removed and chopped

Salt to taste

Fresh Parsley

Optional Toppings:

Cooked meat (shrimp, chicken, etc.)

Avocado

Cheese

Crostini

Directions:

Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor (or Vitamix if you are lucky enough to have one).  Then, chop the jalapeno (seeds removed) and add to the tomato base. Pulse again. You should end up with a thick soup base. Add a little water or lime juice if you want a thinner consistency.

Chop the cucumber, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic. Add to your tomato base. At this point, feel free to add any fresh herbs or seasonings. I used sea salt and parsley. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour.

Serve cold with cooked meat (chicken, shrimp, etc). Have fun experimenting with toppings, such as goat cheese or avocado.  It also pairs well with crostini or any type of toasted bread.

Wine pairing: We like to enjoy this soup with our current favorite, Trader Joe’s Coastal Zinfandel.

Image by Tony Scheeler

Let us know if you try the recipe by posting a pic with #youhadmeathappyhour on Instagram. 

Enjoy!

Vicki & Julia