I have the perfect recipe for a hot day and something you
can also hold onto some tomato harvest time if you are
fortunate enough to have gardening space you can use the
juice from your own tomatoes. Lately I've been gardening
at our local Marianos since we no longer have room for one.
I planned some container veggies this year but somehow those
are still on the plan list ;o) Marianos does ending costing
me in the end but they sure do a good job of doing all the
work.

So gazpacho is actually soup made of raw vegetables and
served cold, usually with a tomato base. I prefer mine
pureed in a food processor like a smoothie and usually serve
it in a smaller appetizer sized serving with a little dallop
garnish of diced veggies or basil, or whatever I have on
hand but you could keep it on the chunky side too.

This is both refreshing and doesn't require cooking if you
use the tomato juice. Just start with a top- quality tomato
juice (and use a trick replace the traditionally used stale
bread with bread crumbs to thicken the soup. You'll be out
of the kitchen in a wink.

Enjoy! Marzee
Marzee Email Me



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RECIPE: GAZPACHO

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INGREDIENTS:
2 cups tomato juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup seeded and diced cucumber
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup zucchini, finely diced

DIRECTIONS:
Place tomato juice, garlic and olive oil in blender and
process until garlic is puréed. Add bread crumbs and
vinegar, then blend to combine. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Pour into covered container and chill well,
from 2 hours to overnight. Check seasoning and adjust,
if necessary. Divide soup among 4 serving bowls. Add 1
tablespoon each of diced cucumber, pepper, tomato, onion
and, if desired, zucchini.

Yield: 4 Servings
* each serving contains 65 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Category: Soups



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EVEN MORE HEALTHY CHOICES FOOD SNIPPETS:

Baked potatoes, corn on the cob, bread. What do these items
often have in common? We cover them with butter, right? And
if we're not careful, and we aren't all the time, we don't
realize how much we actually use. If you must use butter
and margarine, use them sparingly. Even better, switch to
reduced-fat margarine or try jelly on your bread, bagels,
and other baked goods.

Use "lite" or low-fat dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese,
yogurt, or sour cream). Use in recipes and/or drink 1
percent or skim milk. You'll still get the nutrients and
taste but not the fat.

When you make or buy a salad, a little bit of salad dressing
goes a long way. Measure 1 tablespoon of dressing and toss
well with your salad. The dressing coats the salad instead
of drenching it. For even more flavor, sprinkle the salad
with lemon pepper before adding dressing. Even better, use
light or fat-free salad dressing. The same principle applies
when using condiments, a little mayonnaise is all you need.
Or use the light or fat-free kind.