LOVE OF THE SEA: Watermelon Wednesdays-A refreshing gazpacho...

LOVE OF THE SEA: Watermelon Wednesdays #5.... A refreshing gazpacho...:

**Disclaimer: I have NOT tried this recipe, but I plan to very soon and I will report back with my findings.**

I found this awesome looking recipe on a blog I read called Love of the Sea. You can click the link above to go directly to her page with the recipe. It's for a watermelon gazpacho, and I thought it looked like a refreshing treat on a hot day. I LOVE watermelon.

This recipe originally came from Martha Stewart. Well not actually right from her, but rather from her website.  ;-)

Ingredients:
5 cups peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped watermelon

• 1/2 cup cranberry juice
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
• 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
• 3/4 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• Juice of 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, minced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine 5 cups watermelon and the cranberry juice in the jar of a blender, and puree until mixture is smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a large bowl or plastic storage container, discarding pulp. You should have 3 cups strained liquid.
2. Add cucumber, celery, bell pepper, onion, herbs, lime juice, vinegar, jalapeno, and remaining cup chopped melon to watermelon liquid, and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until soup is well chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve, or store in refrigerator up to 1 day

Asian Beef Noodle Soup

*from eat shrink and be merry

4 oz uncooked soba noodles, whole wheat spagettini, or rice vermicelli
6 cups sodium reduced beef broth
3 TBSP hoisin sauce
1 TBSP each soy sauce, grated ginger root, toasted sesame oil, and feshly squeezed lime juice
12 ounces (340 g) beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves or thinly sliced bok choy
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 each of chopped fresh mint leaves, and chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bean sprouts

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until soup is ready to serve.
In a large soup pot, combine beef broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger root, sesame oil, and lime juice. Bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add beef, spinach, green onions, mint and basil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, just until beef is cooked through. Taste soup and add salt and pepper if desired. 
To serve soup, place some cooked noodles in the bottom of a soup bowl, top with bean sprouts and ladle soup over top. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings
Nutritional info per serving:
Cal: 220
total fat: 7 g
saturated fat: 2 g
protein:18 g
carbs: 22 g
fiber: 2.3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
sodium: 656 mg

Asian Beef Noodle Soup

*from eat shrink and be merry

4 oz uncooked soba noodles, whole wheat spagettini, or rice vermicelli
6 cups sodium reduced beef broth
3 TBSP hoisin sauce
1 TBSP each soy sauce, grated ginger root, toasted sesame oil, and feshly squeezed lime juice
12 ounces (340 g) beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves or thinly sliced bok choy
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 each of chopped fresh mint leaves, and chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bean sprouts

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside until soup is ready to serve.
In a large soup pot, combine beef broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger root, sesame oil, and lime juice. Bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add beef, spinach, green onions, mint and basil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, just until beef is cooked through. Taste soup and add salt and pepper if desired. 
To serve soup, place some cooked noodles in the bottom of a soup bowl, top with bean sprouts and ladle soup over top. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings
Nutritional info per serving:
Cal: 220
total fat: 7 g
saturated fat: 2 g
protein:18 g
carbs: 22 g
fiber: 2.3 g
Cholesterol: 40 mg
sodium: 656 mg

Pam's black bean soup

Always a hit, this yummy, healthy easy to prepare soup is filling and easy as 1.2.3.

5-6 slices of bacon, cut up

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

handful of diced cooked ham

1 large can of diced tomatoes

Clamato juice as desired, about 2 cups or more  (this is the ‘secret’ ingredient)

Can of black beans drained and rinsed. (I usually double the black beans and also use a can of navy beans, drained and rinsed as well)

Salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper or chili peppers, basil, oregano all to taste

In a large stockpot fry the bacon until crisp. Add garlic and sauté  for 30-60 seconds. Add chili peppers if using, and sauté for 30 more seconds. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes or so. Chuck the rest of the ingredients in the pot and season to taste. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, and serve with grated cheddar cheese and sour cream on top.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Mexican Cream and Toasted Pepitas

This soup is my most requested fall recipe. Incredibly easy to make, it is ready in 1/2 an hour. It tastes far more complex than it is, and makes great leftovers. ( if there are any!!)

Soup Recipe:
3 Tbsp butter
3 cups finely chopped onions
1 ½ cans (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
1 cup whole milk
¾ tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 ½ cups canned chicken broth
¾ cup shelled pumpkin seeds, toasted

Mexican Cream Recipe:
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup coconut milk
½ tsp lime juice
-Whisk together and chill for 2 hours.

In a large heavy metal pot melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent ( about 10 minutes) Add pumpkin, milk and crushed red pepper. Stir. Pour mixture into a food processor and puree. Return mixture back to pot and add chicken broth. Simmer at least 10 minutes to blend flavours, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of Mexican cream and sprinkle with pepitas.
Enjoy!