Recipes: Soups
Chilled Spring Soup Trio
May 8, 2013
I love spring, especially for the fresh start of the produce season. Chilled soups are just perfect for the spring and summer months. Serve these soups individually or as a tasting trio (Asparagus, Chilled Orange Strawberry Rhubarb and Chilled Mango Gazpacho) as a perfect spring starter to an evening dinner. Also this is a great way to achieve at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Asparagus is available pretty much year round and this soup can be served warm or chilled, depending upon the seasonal temperature. Look for green fresh, crunchy small stalks as they have more flavors and are less woody.
The Chilled Orange Strawberry Rhubarb is a perfect spring chilled soup with the benefit of vitamin C from the oranges and strawberries plus vitamin A from the rhubarb. Rhubarb is actually classified as a vegetable, but the majority of us consider it a fruit. It is quite acidic so the soup needs a sweetener. Sugar, honey, agave nectar or stevia can be used. Just add the sweetener at the last step and adjust sweetness to taste. The soup is best made fresh the day that it will be served.
And lastly, we have the mango gazpacho, which is originally from the Andalusia region of Spain where traditional gazpacho is made from tomatoes and fresh garden vegetables of peppers, onions, cucumber, garlic and vinegar. This Cooking Cardiologist/Americanized version changes the flavor to southwest with the addition of cilantro and lime. This recipe is a twist on the original using fresh mangos and a prepared mango puree found in the juice section of most grocery stores or natural food stores. This chilled soup is loaded with vitamin C and colorful anti-oxidants. Serve in chilled martini glasses.
Chilled Spring Pea Basil Avocado Soup
March 20, 2013
Let’s put some spring into your plate. Here’s a perfect combination of the green flavors of Spring - spring peas, basil and a ripe avocado. As a result, the calories are reduced thanks to the non-dairy creamer and provides a smooth texture. Serve chilled. Perfect for spring or summer!
Mango Gazpacho
August 3, 2012
Originating from the Andalusia region of Spain, traditional gazpacho is made from tomatoes and fresh garden vegetables of peppers, onions, cucumber, garlic and vinegar. The Americanized version changes the flavor to southwest with the addition of cilantro and lime. This recipe is a twist on the original using fresh mangos and a prepared mango puree found in the juice section of most grocery stores or natural food stores. This chilled soup is loaded with vitamin C and colorful anti-oxidants. Serve in chilled martini glasses.
Organic Carrot Gazpacho
August 3, 2012
Go organic!! It couldn’t be any better! This chilled soup is perfect for spring or summer. The soup is in-the-raw and uses only fresh organic vegetables. Of any dish that has been prepared in the kitchen of The Cooking Cardiologist, this has the most anti-oxidants, vibrant colors and fabulous crunch of fresh vegetables. Usual gazpacho soup is made from a tomato base, but this chilled vegetable medley is richer in carotenoids, flavor and vitamins C and A. You may just be able to throw away your spectacles after only one serving! Hey, what’s up Doc?
Spring Basil Soup
April 6, 2012
Green is spring. In celebration, so should your plate. Avocados are becoming the new acceptable fat…good for you. What a perfect addition, spring peas, fat free half&half, basil and a ripe avocado. As a result, the calories are reduced. The texture is very smooth. Add a dollop of fat free or light sour cream. Serve chilled. Perfect for summer!
Keep the soup mild as listed or change to a Southwest flavor with garnishes of cilantro, favorite salsa and crushed baked corn tortilla chips. For a summer chilled soup without the Southwest flavor, add 2 T fresh mint to the blender or food processor in place of the hot sauce.
Beautiful Salad
February 23, 2012
This is a recipe that is full of flavor, fiber and protein. It combines three whole grains that are gluten free. The whole grains are combinations of quinoa, millet and buckwheat. While buckwheat has the name of “wheat” in it, it is gluten free. The earthy grains are rich in a nutty flavor, yet the citrus in the dish tones down the earthy flavor, creating a very light salad. This Beautiful Salad will create a healthy glow to the skin with the addition of olive oil, salmon and avocado. Drizzle extra dressing over the salmon or chicken to boost the lemon flavor.
Cream of Any Vegetable Soup
December 27, 2011
This soup base has fewer calories and less fat than most cream soup bases. And it helps lower your cholesterol, too. Use this creamy soup base to make any vegetable soup in season. Use your imagination; it can be served hot or cold.
French Onion Soup
December 2, 2011
Is French Onion soup really French? Food historians report that King Louis XV was the first to create onion soup. The king’s chef, rather than wasting a great bottle of champagne just because it was flat, added onions to it and thus French onion soup was born. Today, however, French onion soup is usually made with a beef stock, onions and selected spices. The flavor of French onion soup is spectacular and the recipes can be quite varied except for two basics – quality sautéed onions and broth and French bread with melted cheese. This recipe duplicates the flavor without a beef stock.
Pressure Cooked Cuban Black Bean Soup
October 19, 2011
Two Color Chilled Melon Soup
September 2, 2011
My chilled melon soup is artistic and flavorful. The green color of the honeydew against the orange of the cantaloupe-mango will have your family, friends and guests asking how you did it. Do not tell them the secret. Pastis {pas-TEES} is a French licorice-flavored aperitif similar to Pernod. Just a hint will bring out the flavors of the melon with the slow, late hit of the licorice. This soup is best well chilled.