With summer finally  here to stay,  it’s time to make a chilled veggie soup.  I’m a big fan of avocado and cucumber which make this one of my favourites.  I found the idea for this recipe a few years ago out of a cooking magazine at my Dr’s office.  I quickly glanced at the ingredients came home saw the avocado. Insert light bulb 😉  I whipped up a version of that soup.  The original recipe called cilantro but I only had basil, I now use both.  As well, the original used sour cream, I like greek yogurt, but you may use either one.  A greek yogurt dip like I did below works too, and it saves the step of adding chili powder or tabasco.  That extra zip is excellent in this soup, cut back if desired but don’t omit completely.  Taste buds screamed, Yum!  Avocado, cucumber, basil, you can’t mess up those ingredients!

It’s light and refreshing on the palette and makes a wonderful lunch time meal with a sandwich on the side.  I’ve served this in small appetizer sized cups with a warm crusty toasted baguette drizzled with olive oil.. Delish!

Avocado & Cucumber soup travels easily, which makes it great for picnics or to pack for lunches.

Ingredients:

• 1 english cucumber peeled or unpeeled
• 2 avocado
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (or lime)
• pinch of lemon or lime zest
• 1/4 cup red onion finely minced
• small handful of fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup of non dairy milk or plain non dairy yogurt
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• 1-1/2 cups almond milk with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar (You may replace vegetable stock)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Cut off both ends of cucumber and chunk up the rest of the cucumber.  Add to the processor
2. Cut the two avocados in half, remove pit, and add the avocado to the processor
3. Roughly chop the garlic, toss into the food processor
4. Finely chop the red onion, add to the food processor
5. Add the basil and the cilantro
6. Turn on the food processor and puree the ingredients until smooth
7. Add the lemon juice,  non dairy yogurt and almond milk
8. Puree until combined
9. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Chill until ready to serve.  The soup may thicken and you can thin down by adding a little more almond milk.

Add cucumber to food processor

Remove avocados from shell

Add to food processor

Peel garlic

roughly chop

Add Fresh basil

Minced red onion

Cilantro

Add all to the food processor

Start pureeing

Once it gets to this texture add the milk, and yogurt

Fresh Lemon

Add lemon juice, sometimes I add a touch of lemon zest

Add salt and pepper and once last puree

Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup

Lunch today!  Avocado & Cucumber soup with Garden Veggie wraps on the side.