Kardea Gourmet

Makes 7 Servings 

Gazpacho certainly can be a lovely dish served to good friends on a magical summer evening. Cool and complex, gazpacho blends the taste of summer vegetables, spices and herbs. Unfortunately for many,  their experience with this cold soup of Spain has been less than tantalizing,  more like eating V8 juice or salad dressing with a spoon.

With this recipe, you will deliver a delicious, bold-but-balanced gazpacho. You can make it quickly with minimal mess, making it perfect for any weekend lunch, a first course, or a part of a lighter summer meal.

Certainly, if you stay true to the traditional recipes, gazpacho can be time-consuming. In the interest of a busy schedule, we take “poetic” liberties to bring this dish to the table in 10-12 minutes of preparation.

Ingredients

16  Ounces Tomato Juice-low sodium
2    Medium Cucumbers, peeled, halved and cut into 2″ chunks
12  Ounces Roasted Red Peppers (with liquid)
2    Medium Onions
4    Cloves Garlic
4    Tbsp Kardea Virgin Olive Oil with added Plant Sterols
½    Cup Fresh Cilantro (use parsley if you prefer a less bold gazpacho)
2    Tbsp White Vinegar
      Hot Sauce to taste
      Salt to Taste

Preparation

Chop vegetables into large chunks. Place all the ingredients into a food processor (a blender also works,  but it may take a few batches. A food processor also gives you somewhat better control over consistency).  Traditionalists would have you blend this to a puree and serve with a tablespoon of fresh green or red pepper, cucumber or onion—and perhaps capers, chopped hard boiled eggs or chopped Spanish olives. While a lovely presentation, this adds prep time. As an alternative, I simply “pulse” the ingredients in the food processor, leaving the vegetables finely chopped. Average prep time, assuming I can find all the pieces to the food processor: 10-12 minutes

Nutritional Profile:
Total Calories:   110/serving (about 2 weight watcher points)
Carbohyrates:   10g;  2.5g Fiber
Fat:  7g: 5g Mono;  1g Poly;  1g Saturated; 0 Trans
Calories from Fat: Approximately 50%, but nearly all from monunsaturated-rich,  heart health olive oil.
Protein: 2g
Plant Sterols: 300mg (.30g)
Cholesterol: 0;  Sodium:   50mg
Vitamin A: 25% RDI ; Vitamin C: 95% RDI (both naturally-occurring antioxidants)
Potassium: 15% RDI (480mg)