With the Fourth of July far in the rearview mirror, we’re well into the swing of summer; the time to eat outdoors, soak in the sunshine, and enjoy an abundance of fresh seasonal produce. Farmer’s markets and fresh ingredients at supermarkets make summer great for some bomb salads. But if you’re like me, you might be rolling your eyes at the thought of another salad by this point in the summer (unless it’s arugula based because I could eat arugula every day for the rest of my life and never get bored — anyone else?).
To all my soul sisters who aren’t totally in love with salad, you can absolutely still enjoy healthy outdoor eats. There are so many creative ways to get in your daily dose of fruits and veggies. Some of my favorites are these three simple and delicious veggie loaded chilled soups perfect for cooling off after sweating at the gym or laying on the beach. A cold soup is refreshing, healthy, and best of all, it comes together without turning on the stove or oven to keep you and your kitchen cool through the hot summer months.
Chilled Avocado and Cucumber Soup
Ingredients for four servings:
- 2 avocados, roughly chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp dried cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a food processor or blender, add the avocado, cucumber, jalapeño, shallot, lemon juice, olive oil, water, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Thin with additional water until desired consistency.
- Chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
- Garnish with any remaining cilantro.
Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho
Ingredients for four servings:
- 2 cups watermelon chunks
- 3 medium tomatoes (roughly 4 oz each), quartered
- ½ shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a food processor or blender, blend watermelon into a puree.
- Strain the watermelon through a fine mesh sieve, should yield roughly one cup of juice.
- Return the watermelon juice to food processor or blender and add the tomatoes, shallot, Greek yogurt, balsamic vinegar, mint leaves, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
- Garnish with any remaining fresh mint leaves.
Chilled Sweet Corn and Bell Pepper Soup
Ingredients for four servings:
- 4 small or 2 large ears of corn (roughly 20 oz total)
- 2 yellow bell peppers, seeds removed and diced
- 2 small onions, diced
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cook the corn by microwaving, covered with a paper towel, on high for four minutes. This is also a great opportunity to use any leftover corn on the cob from your summer barbecues! Chill until comfortable to touch and then cut off the cob.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the corn kernels, bell pepper, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Chill until ready to serve, at least one hour.
- Garnish with any remaining bell pepper or corn.
