Allergy-Friendly Gazpacho

Gluten-Free Tea Gazpacho

Turn off your oven. This no-fuss, no-cook soup is perfect for sizzling weather. Packed with nutrients, it uses summer's harvest-fresh bounty and makes a simple yet flavorful meal that's low in calories. Serve chilled.

1  medium red bell pepper, chopped
1  medium green bell pepper, chopped
1  large cucumber, peeled and chopped
1  teaspoon oolong loose-leaf tea
1  (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1  medium onion, chopped
2  garlic cloves, minced
3  tablespoons red wine vinegar
1  tablespoon olive oil
4  drops hot sauce, optional
-  Salt and ground pepper, to taste

1. Set aside a quarter of the peppers and cucumber for garnish.

2. With a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a large chef’s knife, grind tea leaves to make a powder.

3. Place tomatoes, onion, remaining peppers and cucumbers, garlic, vinegar, oil, tea and hot sauce (if using), salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until mixture is the consistency of gazpacho.

4. Transfer the soup to a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours. If desired, thin soup by adding some brewed oolong tea.

Each serving contains 133 calories, 4g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 22g carbohydrate, 265mg sodium, 6g fiber, 5g protein.

Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate Tea Diet (Harper Collins) by Mark Ukra.

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Gluten-Free Tomato Mango Gazpacho

Pineapple juice, mango and avocado blend beautifully with tomatoes in this refreshing summertime dish. For best results, make this soup a day ahead so flavors fully develop. Prepare it in batches in a blender. Have a 2-quart pitcher or container ready for the finished soup.

3  pounds very ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded
    (optional), rough-cut
1  cucumber, peeled, seeded (optional), rough-cut
1  red bell pepper, cored, seeded, rough-cut
1  jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped
2  medium celery stalks, rough-cut
1  bunch green onions, sliced (include some green)
½  cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½  cup fresh basil, chopped
2  cups prepared tomato juice or fresh
    pureed tomatoes
1  cup pineapple juice
1  ripe mango, diced, reserved
1  ripe avocado, diced, reserved

1. Place chopped vegetables and herbs (first 8 ingredients) in a large bowl.

2. Combine tomato juice and pineapple juice in a quart pitcher or measuring cup.

3. Combine diced mango and avocado in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Place about 1 cup vegetables and about ½ cup juice in a blender and pulse. Gazpacho should be chunky, not pureed. Continue to work in batches until all vegetables and juice are blended. Taste soup and adjust seasoning.

5.  Stir diced mango and avocado into gazpacho.

6. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 to 3 hours. Serve cold.

TIP Commercial gazpachos often contain pureed bread to give them more body. If you order gazpacho while dining out, ask your server to make certain it's gluten free.

Each serving contains 103 calories, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 23mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 3g protein.

This recipe is by Sueson Vess, author of Simple, Delicious Solutions for Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cooking (Special Eats). Click here to purchase.