NUTRITION PROFILE:
Low Calorie
| Low Carb
| High Fiber
| Low Cholesterol
| Low Sat Fat
| High Potassium
| Heart Healthy
There’s no reason to only use cucumbers raw—they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silken-textured soup that’s good warm or cold.
Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each
ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 3/4 cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender. Add avocado and parsley; blend on low speed until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve it chilled. Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley, if desired.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 173 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 5 g fiber; 374 mg sodium; 544 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Potassium (16% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 2 fat
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
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