Dr. Bob's Over the Rainbow Soup

Dr. Bob’s Over the Rainbow Gazpacho SOup

Traditions! For as long as I can remember, a vegetable garden has been part of my life. I remember as a child helping my grandfather plant his award winning tomato garden. Year after year my children helped in my father’s tomato garden and now this year my grandchildren are carrying on the family tradition.

I planted my vegetable garden a few weeks ago and I can’t wait for the harvest. Over the years my family has started calling it my gazpacho garden because I plant all the things needed to make my family favorite homemade Gazpacho Soup.  If you’ve never had this cold Spanish tomato soup you are missing out on a great summer meal.

A great way to remember how to add the best variety of powerful plant fuel for our body is to eat all the colors or the rainbow (each meal but at least daily).  In my garden I plant red beefsteak and red sweet peppers along with orange heirloom tomatoes and spicy orange chili peppers. The yellow banana peppers and lemon cucumbers are a new addition this year. Rounding out the color green for my soup are bell peppers, scallions, Japanese cucumbers, jalapenos and cilantro. Blue krim tomatoes and purple onions finish off all the colors of the rainbow for taste and powerful nutrition. Packed with an abundance of revitalizing nutrients, every one of the six vital tastes is met with this blend of veggies and seasonings. I personally like to add cubed firm avocados at serving time to add more body to the soup.  I have included my gazpacho recipe so you can create your own healthy summer meal.

 Recipe:

1 bottle spicy vegetable tomato juice (apx 46oz)

10 peeled, ripe red tomatoes

1 orange bell pepper diced

2 cucumbers (1 Japanese and 1 lemon cucumber)

3 cloves of garlic chopped

4 lemons-just the juice needed

5 green onions

1 bushel of cilantro

1 jalapeño (can substitute with banana or anaheim pepper if spice is an issue)

1 small purple onion chopped

2 tsp Worcheshire sauce

Sea salt-to taste

Garlic pepper- to taste

Spicy or Cayenne seasoning - if looking for extra spice

Chop all vegetables to desired size ( I like it a little chunky); add lemon juice and cilantro to bowl with the rest of the vegetables. Add vegetable juice last, stir, and season to taste.

Chill, soup continues to season in the fridge. Enjoy!

TIP: Add cubed avocado at time of serving