It's the middle of July and most of us are roasting from the inside out on a daily basis. A good and healthy way to cool down is to enjoy a serving of my favorite cold cucumber soup - also known as tarator in Bulgaria, such as it is described within the Mediterranean Lifestyle eBook on Olympian Health According to The Mediterranean Diet.
The following is a slight variation of that recipe, made to suit my own palate. The following recipe serves two people.
- 2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cubed
- 4 mint leaves, minced
- 2 sprigs of dill, minced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 of an avocado, cubed
- 1 cup of plain yogurt (I find Greek yogurt works best as is has a thicker consistency - if using regular yogurt, it's best to strain it through a cheesecloth first)
- 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. If a creamier consistency is desired, add cold water a tablespoon at a time. In addition, adding more yogurt can thicken the texture. Best served chilled, 2 hours in the refrigerator recommended.
The best thing about recipes like this one is the versatility. Feel free to omit the mint or dill (or both) depending on what flavors you like best. Also, as mentioned in The Mediterranean Lifestyle, walnuts can be added as an additional source of protein.This post first appeared at the Mediterranean Lifestyle blog and can be read in its entirety at http://www.themediterraneanlifestyle.com/2012/07/11/beat-the-heat-with-a-cold-cucumber-soup-mediterranean-diet-style/
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