Watermelon Gazpacho

I don't know about you, but I never want summer to end! Sure, it is hot, especially here in south Texas where triple digits are common, but also common is an abundance of fresh food that will wane as the temperatures do! I personally can never get enough watermelon! I could eat it right off the vine 3-6 times a day, 7 days a week, and never get tired of it!  However, some of you (or all of you!) may not share my enthusiasm for this summer delight. For you, I present another way to enjoy summer's bounty, while keeping things cool in the kitchen, no cooking! Eating dishes made from raw ingredients preserves for us all of those important enzymes in the food that are destroyed even by the lightest of steaming/cooking methods. So enjoy a nice raw soup, full of nutrition and flavor, and your body will reward you with amazing energy and vitality!

Recipe from New Braunfels Farmers Market

Puree 3 cups of watermelon and strain thru colander to remove all the seeds.

In a large glass bowl, combine the watermelon puree, the watermelon chunks, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, ginger, jalapeno, scallion, and salt. Stir well, add pepper and more salt, if you like.

Serve with homemade tortilla chips for a light summer dinner!

3 C. watermelon chunks, seeded and pureed in a blender
1 C. watermelon, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ C. red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 small handful cilantro leaves
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
½ small jalapeno, seeded and chopped *OPTIONAL
2 cloves of garlic finely diced (or microplaned)
1 scallion (white and 1-inch of green), chopped
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
Black pepper, to taste