Food for Thought : Cold Summer Soup

August isn't typically the time for a bowl of soup , however , it can be a great-to-go meal . When it is hot outside , chilled soups can be a great option for a healthy and refreshing lunch  or a simple dinner . Cold soups can be a nutritious and delicious part of your warm weather meals . Chilled and cold soups are great as a light meal , an  appretizer or even a dessert . Take advantage of  summer produce , herbs and flavors . Hrer are a few tips for enjoying a refreshing chilled soup on a hot day .

1 .  Gazpacho , filled with healthy vegetables , is a great appetizer or addition to a sandwich for a light meal . Most of the ingredients , tomatoes , onions , peppers , garlic and cucumber  are in season  and readily available this time of the year .

2 .  Sautee onions with cucumbers and puree them with an avocado . Add chichen broth and seasoning  such as salt , pepper , lemon juice and garlic to make a silky and creamy soup  that can be enjoyed hot or cold .

3 .  Berry soups can be a great starter r dessert this time of year . Blend berries of any kind , chill , and serve with a dollop of vanilla yogurt '

                              Summer Gazpacho with Shrimp

Prep / Total time  -----   45 minutes ----  Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:

1       cucumber, sliced
1/2    small red onion, minced
1       bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1       red bell pepper, chopped
1       clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1/4    cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4    cup balsamic vinegar
2       cups tomato juice
1/4    teaspoon salt
1/8    teaspoon pepper
16     large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

1 .  First, make the gazpacho. Combine all ingredients except for shrimp in a high speed blender or food processor. Whirl until just blended. Taste gazpacho and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Place in the fridge while you prepare the shrimp.

2 .  For the shrimp, heat up two tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp and briefly saute until pink and curled. This will take only about 4 minutes since shrimp cook so fast. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

3 .  To serve, ladle gazpacho into bowls and top with four sauteed shrimp.

Words of Wisdom :

The successful know that the road to success is always under construction; they understand the roughness of it and never expected it to be smooth. 

Just having knowledge and not using it is like having a bunch of things in the attic – sure you'll use it someday but in the meantime it just clogs up space! 

If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders. 

If you go to bed at night and think about your day and you haven't laughed very much, then you must jump out of bed and go do something fun. 

Humor is a great way to lighten any atmosphere, and laughing is a surefire way to brighten your outlook. 

A proud grand-poppa            G.