TV Tuesday #18: 5 Minute Avocado Gazpacho (VG, Raw, GF)

Most people know that they “should” eat more veggies. Most don’t. But here’s the thing.

The best part about veggies is that they are faster and easier to prepare that most other foods. They taste delicious on their own, they can be eaten cooked or raw and in a lot of cases come in a single serving size. How handy.

So why not a dish that incorporates a ton of veggies, without too much thinking, hardly any work, and a delicious outcome?

With summer temperatures upon us, not cooking with the stove or oven is best. So why not put together a refreshing soup with all those veggies you promised yourself you’d eat? How about a chilled avocado soup to sooth you from today’s heat wave?

So what is gazpacho?

It originated in Spain and is traditionally a tomato based, vegetable soup that is served chilled, typically during the summer months due to its refreshing qualities.

We’ve left out the bread that you would typically find in a traditional gazpacho recipe to provide a gluten free option.

What I love about this little diddy of a soup:

• It comes together in minutes
• It is perfect for a hot day
• There’s no need to turn on the stove or oven
• It’s super healthy
• The ingredients are very flexible

Not bad for a dish you can put together in minutes. Don’t believe me. Watch the video. It’s crazy fast. It’s almost a blur.

I chose to make avocado gazpacho because I wanted my soup to last a little longer than low calorie blended veggies. The avocado adds a bunch of healthy fats, but, better yet, it’s more satiating and satisfying. But there’s no reason why you couldn’t use just about any veggies you have kicking around (skip the hard veggies like carrots and beets unless you own a Vitamix or equivalent).

When getting your veggies in is this easy and yummy, it’s hard to find excuses not too. Heck, you don’t even need to chew!

Avocado Gazpacho

• 3 green onions
• 1 cucumber
• 1 avocado
• 1 orange pepper (any color will do, but some will give this soup a funny color)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 large handful of basil
• 3 radishes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (I used chili oil for a bit of a kick)
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop the ingredients and place them all in a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until cool.

Optional garnish and toppings:

Serve with minced basil and/ or creme fresh, sour cream or coconut cream for a vegan option.

Drizzle with olive oil and other fresh herbs, diced cucumber, tomatoes or peppers.

What kind of get together or party would you bring this avocado gazpacho to? Let me know in the comments below!

I’m sharing this with Mangia Monday, Monday Mania, My Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, The Tasty Alternative, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Freaky Friday, Fight Back Friday, and Foodie Friday.