The east coast is being bombarded by a harsh heat wave; and if you’re anything like me, the hot, humid, sticky weather can completely squash your desire to cook.
I don’t seem to be one of those people who lose their appetite in the heat, (my appetite is a near constant companion, despite the season), but I do crave cool, no-cook meals in weather that encroaches on the triple digits.
Sure, I could easily eat some ice cream or yogurt for dinner, but I also have a husband to feed… and ice cream does not a manly meal make.
I initially hesitated to call this dish “soup”, because it is a) served cold and b) much thicker than most soups.
So thick, in fact, that it borders on dip-consistency. Look at that creamy texture!
The avocado “soup” is delicious on its own, thanks to tangy buttermilk, tart lime juice, smoky cumin, and verdant cilantro, but it just begs for a textural and color addition.
I went with a combination of sweet (corn) & spicy (chipotle hot sauce) toppings, but you could use whatever you like.
Black beans, chopped tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips… whatever sparks your interest, toss it on.
I hope – for your sake – that you are somewhere less oppressively hot than it is here… but if you are also suffocating in this muggy heat, this avocado soup is one step towards cooling off!
Chilled Avocado Soup
Printer-Friendly Recipe
yield: 2 small (side dish or appetizer-size) servings
Soup Ingredients:
- 1 ripe medium-sized avocado, peeled & pitted
- 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk, well-shaken
- 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable stock (or 1/2 cup for a thinner consistency)
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder (I used chipotle chile powder)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Accoutrements:
- roasted/grilled corn kernels (I used thawed Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn)
- drizzle of olive oil (I used lime olive oil from Boston Olive Oil Company)
- diced tomatoes
- plain 2% Greek yogurt
- hot sauce (I used Tobasco chipotle hot sauce)
- additional cilantro
Directions:
- Place all soup ingredients, except for salt & pepper, in a food processor or blender. Process/blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Chill in the fridge until cold.
- Top with accoutrements.
Nutritional Information Per Serving(without accoutrements):
170.8 calories, 13.9 grams fat, 2.2 grams saturated fat, 10.8 grams carbohydrates, 5.9 grams fiber, 3.4 grams sugars, 3.7 grams protein
