Growing up I was lucky enough to have a mom that loved to cook. Every night for dinner she would prepare a gourmet healthy meal that somehow satisfied 5 picky kids and her anything goes hubby.
On warm summer evenings she would make colorful chilled gazpacho. It always tasted so fresh and tangy, like a burst of tomato sparkles on my tongue!
Gazpacho is fun and easy to make and no cooking required so it won’t heat up your kitchen. Also, it’s light and refreshing so it won’t leave you feeling heavy or lethargic.
In a blender toss in the heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce and blend until smooth and creamy. Combine all the chopped veggies in a large bowl and pour the liquid mixture over them and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, garnish with diced avocado, parsley, green onions, red peppers, and/or cucumber. Serves 4.
Hint: Gazpacho is best made at least one day in advance. This give the vegetables enough time to marinate so their combined rich and tangy flavors can be expressed. Gazpacho stays fresh for several days in the refrigerator.
Disfrutar de la sopa!
With a vast drop in temperature, darker skies and rainy days, winter is the most yin of all the seasons. It is associated with the kidney and bladder organs, the color black, the element water, the emotion fear, and salty and bitter flavors.
Goji berries are one of the most well known Chinese herbs in the US. Used for over 2000 years in China, they were first mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, the oldest known book on Chinese herbs in 200 BC. They are prized for their ability to tonify blood and yin without causing stagnation. Consumed daily in China as a food and herbal medicine, goji berries are revered for their anti-aging properties. They are used in many beauty tonics.
