I find soup to be so comforting in the winter months and I love to pair it with a crusty piece of bread. Why can’t chilled versions of this classic cold weather comfort food offer a summer-time pick me up, too? It’s a fresh, no-cook solution to a summer potluck and I can already picture Denise’s avocado version on my backyard picnic table to serve a crowd. -Maggie
This summer we are revamping our eating habits. I’m gearing up for a challenge since we eat pretty well now. But Lenny was diagnosed with high cholesterol, so instead of controlling it with medication, we are trying the approach of changing our diets.
Summer is the perfect time to slide back into healthy eating habits. There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables at our finger tips, already, and it is not even June. The baskets of fresh apples adorning our counters have been replaced with juicy berries, fragrant tomatoes, mounds of fresh herbs…it definitely smells like summer at our house.
One of the hardest things for us to give up as part of the diet revamp was dairy. Weekly chunks of creamy cheeses are a thing of the past and morning lattes made with whole milk are no longer on the menu. Now a piece of cheese is a luxury or an indulgence when a certain someone is traveling and I am left home alone.
On the upside, changing things up in the kitchen nudges me to be even more creative with recipes that normally have a little sinful cream involved. For instance, avocados are a great substitute when looking for a creamy addition to a recipe. Not to mention, they are really good for you.
With the warm weather lurking, I am on the look-out for easy meals to serve for lunch or dinner. This creamy avocado soup is just that and more. It’s creamy. Dairy-free. Flavorful. Slightly tart. And great for the waistline.
You can use either chicken or vegetarian stock, both are amazing coupled with the ingredients in this recipe. I used a lot of fresh lime juice, mostly because I was worried about the avocados turning brown – they didn’t – but the extra dose of tangy lime juice made the soup very refreshing.
I wanted texture with the creamy base so I made a garnish using fresh white corn, baby spring onions and a little dice of avocado. It was perfect. We will be enjoying this recipe very often during the summer months.
What is one of your favorite chilled summer soups?
Chilled Avocado Soup
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
For the Soup- 2 1/2 avocados, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- zest from 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 ear of white corn, kernels removed
- 1 small red baby onion, diced
- 1/2 of an avocado, diced
- 1 lime juice
- sprinkle of salt
- paprika
Directions:
- In a food processor add the avocados, cilantro, garlic, zest and fresh lime juice. Process until smooth; about 3 minutes.
- With the food processor running, slowly add the stock. Continue mixing until creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour into a large glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, combine all of the garnish ingredients, except the paprika. Stir. Set aside until it is time to serve the soup.
- Ladle the soup into a bowl and float about a tablespoon of the garnish on the top of the soup. Sprinkle a little paprika over the top.
Eat Boutique is an award-winning shop and story-driven recipe site created by Maggie Battista – an author, business guide and alignment seeker. After hosting pop-up markets for 25,000+ guests, Maggie is now supporting entrepreneurs as they create values-based businesses in service, food, & retail through Eat Boutique Studio. Follow Maggie Battista on Instagram.
