Sponsored Post: Super Summer Soups & Win a Cuisinart Blend and Cook!
One of the greatest gifts my kids have received through going to daycare part time is the ability to eat soup. For real. (For real they have a hearty bowl of soup as lunch once each week and for real it’s one of the things I’m most grateful they learned how to do elsewhere. Have you seen a toddler eat soup?) I’m a serious devotee of soup. I love the way it can pack an extra two or three servings of veggies into one bowl. I’m crazy about the way it makes entertaining so much easier when you make it your first course. And I love, love, love all the yummy possibilities. But in the summer….? I’ve always thought of July and August as soup-free months. Until this week, that is.
Since playing around with Cuisinart’s Blend and Cook Soup and Beverage Maker it’s a whole new ball game. The unit is a blender (the glass jar holds more liquid than my old blender) but the genius part is that it also cooks. You just put all of your cut up ingredients in there, set the time and temperature and away you go. No transferring hot liquid from the stove top to your blender. It takes up about the same amount of counter space as a traditional blender and of course you can use it just as a blender to make drinks and smoothies as well. But you can also use it to make soups and sauces with way less clean up at the end. I think my favourite feature is the Stir button. When you’re sautéing some onion and garlic, you can give it all a little stir every few minutes, just like you would if you were using a skillet.
I’ve been playing around with chilled soups and the Blend and Cook made it amazingly easy. When you’re creating a chilled soup you want to watch that you strike the right balance between sweet and savoury – which means you want to start with a base of sautéed onion, shallots, garlic or ginger – otherwise you’re making a drink, not a soup. We’ve got some dinner parties coming up so now I’ve got a freezer full of chilled soups all ready to go. I’m thinking of serving both of these soups in little shot glasses – don’t you think that would be pretty?
**What’s your favourite summer soup? Send us your recipes for summer soups and this fantastic appliance could be yours! Leave your recipes in the Comments section and one lucky reader will receive a Blend and Cook Soup and Beverage Maker from Cuisinart. I can’t wait to hear what you’re making!**
Chilled Avocado Soup
(serves 4, more if you’re serving in shot glasses)
1 shallot, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
1 cup of cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 cup of Greek yogurt
1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped finely
2 Tbsp cucumber, peeled and chopped finely.
Method
Set your Blend and Cook to 5 minutes on Medium heat. Pour in your olive oil and add the shallots. Hit the Stir button once or twice to move things around. Once your 5 minutes are up and the heat is off, add the rest of your ingredients. Blend on setting 2 or 3 until everything looks creamy and delicious. Maybe a minute? Taste to check the seasoning. Put the whole glass jar in the fridge to chill for half an hour and then serve. I poured mine into small glasses and garnished with a pinch of cucumber and cilantro.
Strawberry and Watermelon Gazpacho
Serves 4 (more if you’re serving in shot glasses)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
3 cups watermelon, roughly chopped
3 cups strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Method
Set the Blend and Cook to 5 minutes on Medium heat. Add your olive oil, shallot, garlic and ginger. Press the Stir button a couple of times. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend on setting 2 or 3 for just a minute of two until you get a uniform texture. Taste to check the seasoning. Pour the liquid through a sieve into a large bowl and then chill for half an hour before serving. I used parsley to garnish my soup but a pinch of feta cheese would be great, too.
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We're Ceri and Laura, a couple of magazine-editors-turned-food-bloggers. Also, we're mothers obsessed with delicious, healthy, family food. We're constantly thinking of ways to make your time (and our own!) in the kitchen easier and more productive, but still nostalgic for the days when dinner was cereal eaten over the kitchen sink.
12 Comments
Sandra Gardiner
July 20, 13:35Roasted Bell Pepper Soup
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1 head of garlic
6 ounces goat cheese
4 ounces of ground almonds
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
basil leaves (for decoration)
1) Place the whole peppers, wrapped up in foil head of garlic with olive oil drizzled & on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 450°F. Turn them over half way through baking. When the skin blisters, remove them from the oven and place in a sealed paper bag for 15 minutes.
Peel the peppers and cut in half removing the seeds. Squeeze out the baked cloves of garlic out of the head of garlic & Place in the blender.
2) Crumble 6 ounces goat cheese, reserving 2 ounces for the presentation and adding 4 ounces to the peppers.
3) Add the ground almonds and blend until mixture is a smooth puree. Slowly add the oil and 1 cup water and mix until smooth.
4) Add approximately one more cup of water to get the soup to the desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.
5) Serve with a basil leaf and the remaining goat cheese for decoration.
Recipe altered to accomondate a gluten free diet 🙂
Ceri Marsh
July 20, 13:41Wow – I’ve never thought of adding ground almonds to a soup but I bet it makes it extra creamy delicious! What a good idea. This combination sounds amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe, Sandra!
Amy
July 22, 16:20Summer Pea, Pear, and Cucumber Soup
4tbsp butter
2 med. onions (peeled & chopped)
1 small cucumber (peeled & chopped)
1 cup frozen peas
3 cups chicken stock
2 ripe pears (peeled & chopped)
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp chopped mint
salt & pepper
1. Melt butter in large sauce pan and add onions. Sautee until onions are soft.
2. Add cucumber. Continue cooking until soft.
3. Add peas and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4. Skim off any scum that may form on top and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 min.
5. Add pears and puree with an immersion blender. Then pass through sieve into a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature.
6. Add in cream and place bowl in fridge until well chilled.
7. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with mint.
Laura
July 24, 08:35Tomato Soup
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped very finely
6-8 chopped, fresh tomatoes OR 2 – 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 – 900 mL carton of vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup half and half cream
chopped fresh basil for garnish
Heat oil and saute onion and garlic. Add remaining ingredients and heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or in an actual blender … or however you want to do it. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Garnish with basil. You’re done – 15 minute soup!
Nicole Norsworthy
July 24, 10:41Zucchini & Tomato Summer Soup
1 extra large zucchini, cubed
2 teaspoons salt
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water, or as needed
1 (32 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1) Place zucchini cubes in colander; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt and let stand to drain for 30 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, combine in a blender the roma tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water; blend until smooth.
3)Pour tomato mixture and chicken broth into a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium heat; immediately reduce heat to low; stir in sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally.
4) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, green pepper, and zucchini, and cook and stir until onion is clear and zucchini is lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to blender and pulse a few times, just enough to chop.
5) Add vegetables to the stockpot; stir in lemon juice, dill, tarragon, and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6) Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional five minutes. Let stand for ten minutes before serving.
Serve hot or cold. (If you want thicker soup, cut back on the tomatoes and use more zucchini.)
Ceri Marsh
July 24, 11:57These all sound amazing! I don’t know how we’re going to choose…
Colleen C
July 25, 10:04Title: Chipotle Tomato Soup
” I created this recipe back in October, 2009 and everyone
who has tried it has asked for the recipe. The chipotle pepper and
adobo sauce creates a unique tasting Tomato Soup. This ain’t your
Mamma’s recipe!! – Colleen”
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 1/2 teaspoon of additional adobo
sauce
1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juices
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and garlic
and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and saute for
an additional 5 minutes to soften.
2. Add chipotle pepper to the pan and break apart with a spoon. Add
tomatoes, chicken stock and adobo sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat
and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Puree soup with an immersion blender, or in a standard blender.
Taste and add salt and pepper or additional adobo sauce, if desired.
4. Serve in a bowl garnished with sour cream.
Yield: 6
Nicole Norsworthy
July 25, 13:37How long is the contest open for?
I didn’t realize that you were picking the best one, I thought it would be a random draw! LOL.
Ceri Marsh
July 25, 15:41Hi Nicole,
We’ll probably let it run into early next week. Share a recipe – you could win!
Karen
July 27, 12:10Chilled melon and yogurt soup
Makes 4 servings
A hint of ginger and fresh mint adds sparkle to this light, refreshing warm-weather soup. Serve it as first course for brunch, lunch or dinner. A ripe cantaloupe is very flavourful; an unripe one is not, so choose one that has a sweet fragrance and yields slightly to pressure at the blossom end.
Ingredients
1 very ripe cantaloupe
250 mL (1 cup) low-fat plain yogurt
50 mL (3 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
2 mL (1⁄2 tsp) grated gingerroot (or 1 mL/1⁄4 tsp ground ginger)
25 mL (2 tbsp) chopped fresh mint
Directions
Cut cantaloupe in half and remove seeds.
Scoop out pulp into blender or food processor; purée to make about 375 mL (11/2 cups).
Add yogurt, lemon juice and gingerroot; process to mix.
Refrigerate until serving.
Divide among small bowls; top with sprinkling of mint.
Make-ahead tip
Cover and refrigerate for up to one day.
Nutrition information per serving
150 mL (2/3 cup)
Calories: 74
Protein: 4 g
Total fat: 1 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Fibre: 1 g
Sodium: 59 mg
Potassium: 416 mg
From Anne Lindsay’s Lighthearted at Home cookbook ©2010.
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