Green Gazpacho

 So the farmer's markets are starting to really take off. And I will admit I have a hard time holding back on fresh produce. I tend to overbuy a bit because I get so excited about seeing fruits and vegetables that I haven't seen in so long. It is kind of like talking to a friend you haven't seen in so long...you just fall in love with the moment and forget where you are going but know it is going to be great. 

 But as it is summer and I have been traveling a bit I leave my house for days at a time. So I tend to freak out about my produce going bad. So what I do is try to use it up before it does by making dishes or soups that I can easily freeze. 

This time I had so much green produce. Spinach, peppers, basil, cucumbers, celery, avocado, etc., and wanted to make good use of these ingredients. It has been blistering hot on the East Coast so I didn't want to make a hot dish. I love making gazpacho in the summer because well, I love soups and that is one of my favorite cold soups. But I didn't have any tomatoes so I pulled out my Plenty cookbook and remembered there being a recipe for Green Gazpacho that I knew would help. 

 I made a couple adjustments to the recipe from the cookbook based on available ingredients and my own taste. Below is my version of Green Gazpacho that I was very happy with. It was green, fresh, summery and hit the spot. Not too mention that I was able to use up a lot of my produce I was so worried about going bad before I leave on my next roadtrip on Thursday. 

Keep checking out your local farmer's markets and making fresh tasty meals at home. There is no greater satisfaction than cooking an excellent meal at home. 

Green Gazpacho
Adapted fromYotam Ottolenghi
2 large celery stalks (leaves included), cleaned
3 small banana peppers, cleaned & seeded
1 large English cucumber, peeled
1 small avocado
1 fresh green chili, seeded
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp sugar
6 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 Tbls chopped parsley
4 Tbls champagne vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbls Greek yogurt
about 1 1/2 cups of water
2 tsp salt
white pepper

Chop celery, peppers, cucumbers, avocado, chili and garlic. Place in a food processor (or blender) and pulse slightly.

Add the sugar, spinach, basil, parsley, vinegar, yogurt, oil and 1 cup of the water and puree until smooth. Add more water if needed to create your preferred consistency.


Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Chill the gazpacho for approximately 1 hour. Serve the gazpacho in a bowl with a few drops of olive oil, a dollop of Greek Yogurt and a few small basil leaves.