Green Gazpacho with Fresh Corn Salsa

Not a fan of gazpacho? Don't despair - this is not your typical gazpacho. First, it's green! Second, while it does contain some (green) tomato, it's NOT a tomato soup. You'll also find a plethora of other greens in here - cucumber, honeydew melon, basil, avocado, and celery - plus some non-green interesting additions, like almonds and corn. Personally, I'm a fan of traditional gazpacho as well, but regardless, on a hot summer day like we've been having, what's not to love about a healthy, cold, refreshing soup?

This recipe comes from one over at Cooking Light and is specifically developed around eating more raw food. While the magazine is quite pragmatic (which is one of the reasons I love it) and hardly advocates raw eating as a primary diet, they do recognize that cooking often destroys some of the best nutrients in many foods (though not all - some, like sweet potatoes, have more accessible nutrients after being cooked) and so want to make some raw foods available as part of a regular, healthy diet. I see it as a bonus for another reason - the cooking time is short! All you have to do here is chop and blend, so get going while ingredients are fresh and the weather warm.

Time: 20 min (plus chilling time)



Green Gazpacho with Fresh Corn Salsa
Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 c cubed honeydew melon
1/4 c fresh basil leaves
2 tsp honey
2 large green tomatoes, chopped
1 oz blanched almonds
1 avocado, quartered
1 cucumber, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 corn cobs, kernels removed (~1/2 c kernels)
1 tbsp fresh chives, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper

Put 2.5 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, and the next 9 ingredients (honeydrew through garlic) in a food processor. Process until well blended and smooth. Place into a large bowl and put in the fridge to chill for as long as you have!

While it's chilling, place the remaining 1.5 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, corn, and chives in a small bowl. Toss to combine.

When you're ready to serve the soup divide it into 4 bowls. Divide the corn salsa evenly over the top and sprinkle with fresh black pepper. Enjoy!