Two Chilled Soups For Warm Days

These chilled soups can help cool you down on warm days...but one can also be enjoyed warmed up! These will also help you use a zucchini or two, which are usually quite prolific in gardens here this time of year, as well as some beautiful seasonal summer produce.

Chilled Cucumber Soup - Vegan/Plant-Based

Ingredients:

• 5 mini cucumbers (or your favorite cucumbers, about a few handfuls when chopped) - peeled (if not thin-skinned), remove seeds by cutting around them or scraping them out with a spoon)

• 1 zucchini, ends trimmed, peeled if desired (if your zucchini has a lot of seeds, remove them by cutting around them or scraping them out with a spoon)

• 1/2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled (optional - use less if you like it less gingery, or none at all)

• 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic (or 1 garlic clove)

• 1 cup of rich almond milk (I like Three Trees brand), or 1/4 cup cashews, or 1 cup of your favorite plain thick yogurt

• 1/2 to 1 cup water

• Juice from 1 lemon or 1 lime

• 1 T apple cider vinegar (omit if using yogurt)

• 1/4 cup of fresh herbs of choice (mint, basil, cilantro, dill) - optional. I use 1/2 tsp dried mint and a small handful of fresh cilantro.

• Salt and pepper to taste

• A few drops of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except salt and pepper into a blender. If you're using just yogurt, add about a half cup of water to start.

2. Blend everything together, adding a little water if needed, and adjusting salt and pepper to taste.

3. Chill and serve.

Pureed Summer Vegetable Soup - Vegan/Plant-Based

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 12oz jar roasted red peppers (or 1 red pepper, seeds removed, chopped)

• 1 green zucchini, ends trimmed, chopped (remove seeds if they are large)

• 1 yellow zucchini (or yellow summer squash), ends trimmed (remove seeds if they are large)

• 1 large or a few small tomatoes (I love heirloom tomatoes), chopped

• 1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 garlic scapes, bulbs removed, chopped (or 1 clove garlic peeled, or 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic)

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400F (204C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Place chopped zucchini, yellow zucchini or squash, tomatoes, carrots, onion and garlic scapes or garlic clove (if using) on lined baking sheet. If using jarred minced garlic, no need to roast it, just add with the other ingredients when ready to blend the soup. If using a fresh red pepper and not the jarred kind, place your chopped red pepper on the baking sheet as well.

3. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

4. In a blender place water, the jarred roasted red peppers if you're using those, the roasted veggies, and Italian seasoning. I remove the little plug from the blender top, and use a folded dish towel to loosely cover the opening - this allows steam to escape and prevent splatters while blending hot soup. Be very careful with this as the soup is hot. Or, instead of a blender, you can place all ingredients in a soup pot and use an immersion blender to puree. Blend until the soup is pureed to your liking.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. You can serve this soup warm, or chill it for a cold version.