Summer Tomato and Squash Soup

This soup was inspired by a total favorite of mine… Gazpacho! Except this one is a little different because I actually served it warm thanks to my Vitamix (if I had made it in a blender that doesn’t have a heat setting I would have served it cold!!). The beauty of this soup is that you can add virtually anything to it. I kept it simple with summer squash, tomatoes, and some apple, but you could also add cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, ginger or even an onion.

You can make this soup into a meal by adding extra avocado (as I did) for extra healthy fat and calories, or shrimp or shredded chicken for extra protein. I also added plenty of fresh and tasty herbs and spices to this dish which made it even better!

Enjoy this light and tasty summer tomato and squash soup!

Recipe:

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 10 minutes
• Makes: 1 larger serving or 2 smaller servings

Ingredients:

Soup:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 apple, cut up
• Dash of salt, pepper and chili powder
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• (optional): 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno pepper, 1-2 carrots, 2-3 Tbsp chopped onion- other vegetables you like

Toppings:

• 1/3 avocado (per serving)
• Dash chili powder, salt, pepper
• 2 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 sprig fresh parsley and cilantro
• (Optional): Extra halved cherry tomatoes, shrimp, shredded chicken, extra toppings you love

Directions:

1. Wash and prepare ingredients and add to blender or food processor.
2. Blend or process for 2-3 minutes or until well blended.
3. Heat if desired (I used the Vitamix so the soup was already hot)- or serve cold.
4. Serve and top with your favorite toppings.
5. Enjoy!