Avocado Soup with Chipotle Shrimp

Never had avocado soup before? Well, to be honest, neither had I. I'm a huge fan of this fatty fruit, but I wasn't entirely sure how it would taste in a soup, or, perhaps more importantly, how this could possibly turn into an even half-healthy option. The trick, however, is to not picture a thick soup of smoothie consistency. Instead, the avocado is lightened considerably by vegetable broth, allowing volume without calories and giving a more typically expected consistency. It's still delicious, and the heat of the chipotle shrimp pairs perfectly with the cool, chilled soup.

To go along with the soup, I whipped up some tofu pad thai. It remains a favorite of mine at Thai restaurants, and is surprisingly easy to duplicate at home. Check out my past post on the recipe and you'll see how quickly it comes together. It's also far less salty (and possibly oily) than the version you'd get at your favorite local Thai restaurant.

Difficulty: medium
Time: 15 min hands on time (2-3 hrs with chilling time)
Cost: $15.28



Avocado Soup with Chipotle Shrimp
Ingredients:
1.5 c low-sodium vegetable broth
1 avocado, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 lb rock shrimp
1/4 tsp cumin, ground/
1/4 tsp chipotle, ground
1 ear of corn, cooked, kernels cut off
1/8 c red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced

First, make the soup so it has plenty of time to chill. Combine the vegetable broth, avocado, cilantro, 1 tbsp lime juice, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a food processor. Process until even and smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge for a couple hours.

When you're getting close to serving time, you'll want to turn your attention to the shrimp since they should be hot to contrast with the cold soup. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, swirling to coat. Then, add the shrimp and immediately sprinkle withe the rest of the black pepper (1/4 tsp) and the cumin. Toss to combine. Add the corn, red onion, and garlic to the pan as well. Toss well and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 tbsp of lime juice into the pan - it should sizzle as it hits the hot metal. Saute for another 1-2 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked.

Ladle the cold soup into bowls and top with the shrimp mixture just before serving so that the temperatures contrast sharply.

(See the pad thai I made as a bonus here!)

Servings: 4
Serving size: 3/4 c soup plus shrimp topping
Nutrition: calories 117; carbs 9g; fat 6g; protein 6g; sodium 213mg; iron 4mg