Gazpacho is the perfect light option to substitute into your summer diet.

What happens in summer when you can’t fathom the idea of eating soup because the temperature outside makes that notion impossible? You eat gazpacho, of course!

HISTORY

An American cookbook published in 1963 tells us that "gazpacho, the soup-salad of Spain, has become an American food fashion." The author, Betty Wason, goes on to tells us that in Mary Randolph's The Virginia Housewife published in 1824, there is a recipe for gazpacho.

RECIPE

If a spicy soup is desired, double the jalapeno and add a dash of cayenne pepper sauce. I chop extra vegetables so they can be used as garnish for those who want.

10-14 medium tomatoes skinned, seeded and minced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 red onion minced
1 jalapeno diced fine
1/2 cucumber chopped fine
1/2 green pepper chopped fine
2 tbsp basil cut into small thin ribbons
1 lemon
1 lime
Salt/pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

In the glass of the mixer we introduce the tomatoes cut into four pieces, the peppers, the cucumber and the cloves of garlic. We grind everything well.

Add bread, salt and a stream of olive oil and vinegar. We grind again. Try the mixture and rectify the fist of salt and vinegar to taste.

Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least two hours, until you are ready to serve.

Serve topped with chopped veggie.

Nutrition information for the entire recipe: 340 calories, 2grams of fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 grams carbohydrates, 20grams of dietary fiber, 15 grams of protein, 1500 milligrams of sodium.