Coaching Cooking

Listen to the bowls story….
Well, I couldn’t find a Noteworthy recipe vidoe for you so…

From Noteworthy Cookbook, see the blog on Writers Unbound Blog.

Cucumbers in Sweet-Sour Sauce:
page 254

4 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise,seeded cut into 1/3 inch pieces.
2 tablespoons flour
2 tblsps butter, melted
1 cup beef both
2 tblsps of whtie wone vinegar
2 tblsps chopped dill
4 ounces drained capers

Cooked cucumbers in salted boiling water several minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Drain Well.

In a sauce pan over medium heat stir in flour into melted butter. Slowly add brith, stirring until sauce thickens. Add remaining ingredients. Mix Well. Combine with cucumbers and serve warm.

Ran into some glitches. 1) Read the entire article by using links provided. Also there’s a great recipe there as well. 3) Youtube to the rescue. Bryant Terry has a book or 2 too. This is great stuff.

Vegan soul food: Down-home cooking goes meatless
By JULIA TERRUSO
Philadelphia Daily News

terrusj@phillynews.com 215-854-5444

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20090723_Vegan_soul_food__Down-home_cooking_goes_meatless.htmlSOUL FOOD carries a certain connotation of deep fryers, heavy cream, lard and tastiness at the expense of arterial clogging. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Vegan food also carries a certain connotation - of tasteless but sensible cuisine dependent on faux tofu meats and processed fake cheeses. That’s not always the case, either.

Chef and self-proclaimed food activist Bryant Terry wants to set the record straight: Soul food can be fresh and even healthy; vegan cooking can have soul.

Terry’s cookbook, “Vegan Soul Kitchen” (Lifelong Books, $18.95), brings the flavor without the fat. It’s a collection of fresh fruit-, vegetable- and nut-based meals which, while classified as “vegan,” are also traditional family recipes with a hip and healthy flair.

“I thought it was important to make an intervention in the genre of African-American cookbooks,” Terry said in a recent interview. “In terms of books from major publishers, there isn’t a single book that presents African-American cuisine without animal products -

Read on and add culture to you life?!

Have you met the Hungry Housewife? She’s very busy these days cooking up a storm. Cafe Mom also interviewed her and so I included a clip of that below. COk with passion and enjoy food to your health!

http://thehungryhousewife.blogspot.com/2009/04/hungry-housewife-interview.html

CREAMY CHICKEN IN PUFF PASTRY SHELLS

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken boobs, cubed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 oz light cream cheese, softened
6 basil leaves, finely chopped
1 oz(about 2 TBSP) sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 slices bacon, cooked(crispy) then broken up
3 Tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded
1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine

Cook your puff pastry shells according to package directions.
While your shells are baking, heat your Olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Cook until no longer pink. About 5-8 minutes
In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese,basil,sun dried tomatoes,garlic,bacon,cheese and wine. Mix until smooth.
Slowly add it to the chicken. Mix with the chicken until no lumps remain.
Remove the middle part of the puff pastry and set aside per package directions.
Place chicken mixture into the hole in the pastry and put the little “hat” on the top of the chicken.

****This sauce would also be yummy over pasta or rice***

How would you describe your cooking style?

My cooking style is totally family-friendly. I don’t cater to my kids’ taste buds. They eat whatever my husband and I eat. I might have to change the meal a bit for them, but I NEVER cook a separate dinner for them. I make two hot meals a day. My darling son doesn’t like cereal (convenient, huh?), so he gets eggs and bacon or homemade waffles every morning! Can you say SPOILED??

Can we see the inside of your kitchen?

I always keep my cookbooks here at the end of my baking counter. The two, white 3-ring binders are a collection of my favorite recipes very neatly organized and categorized.

http://www.cafemom.com/dailybuzz/food_party/4730/In_the_Kitchen_With_The_Hungry_Housewife

Here are 2 sample recipes from 2 pages with a lot of selections. Bookmark these sites for future collections. Enjoy these 2 I brough here for you.

Beets with Mint and Yogurt
2-3 beets, boiled or roasted in foil
2 cups plain yogurt
3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon oilve oil

Peel the beet and grate it coarsely. Put the yogurt in a bowl and beat it lightly with a fork or a whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Add the salt, pepper to taste, and cayenne, if using. Mix. Add the mint and beet. Mix gently. Put the oil and garlic in a small frying pan and set over medium-high heat. The garlic will eventually begin to sizzle. Press down on the garlic with a spatula and let it sizzle some more, turning the pieces once or twice, until they turn a medium brown. Now pour the flavored oil and garlic into the bowl with the yogurt and mix. This cool dish accompanies spicy lentils or curries well.

Adapted from the recipe in Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian
http://newearthfarm.org/recipes.html

http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/recipes/beets040506.shtmlArugula Pesto
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello
Prep Time:
10 min
Inactive Prep Time:
hr min
Cook Time:
1 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
2 cups
Ingredients
4 cups packed fresh arugula
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil
2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted, plus 1 tablespoon
1/8 teaspoon vitamin C (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a
large pot of water to a boil. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the
boiling water. Immediately immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly.
Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula
Copyright 2009 Television Food Network G.P., All Rights Reserved
FPRIVATE “TYPE=PICT;ALT=FoodNetwork.com”
2
Arugula Pesto
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello
into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.

Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the
arugula and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, 2
tablespoons of the pine nuts, and the vitamin C, if using. Blend for at least 30 seconds.
In this way the green of the arugula will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and
pulse to combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the
refrigerator.

Pull out before dinner to get to room temperature. Before serving, add the remaining 1
tablespoon toasted pinenuts.

Copyright 2009 Television Food Network G.P., All Rights Reserved
Printed from FoodNetwork.com on 03/12/2009
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_24485_PRINT-RECIPE-3X5-CARD,00.html

http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=cherry_plum_soup

OK: Here’s a connection to many recipes, answers from the chef, and some recipes. Have lots of fun!

Adapted from “The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.”
Preparation Time: About 20 minutes to prepare, plus time to simmer and chill.
Yield: 5 to 6 servings
Printer-friendly format
Brace yourself for a stunningly colorful soup!
You can make this up to a day in advance. The seasonings intensify the longer it sits.
NOTE: Frozen cherries work very well here. The bonus is that they come already pitted. Defrost them first, and use about 3 cups.
1 1/2 pounds ripe red or purple plums
1 pound pitted dark sweet cherries
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (to taste)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 cups buttermilk or yogurt

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
A drizzle of buttermilk
Fresh mint leaves, torn or minced
Thin slices of kiwifruit

Pit and coarsely chop the plums. Place them in a medium-sized saucepan with the cherries, salt, and orange juice. Heat to boiling, then turn the heat down to very low. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.
Add ginger and mustard. Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer.
Remove from heat; stir in honey and orange zest. Let cool to room temperature, then puree in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and chill until very cold.
Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt just before serving. Top each bowlful with a swirl of extra buttermilk, a scattering of fresh mint leaves, and thin slices of kiwifruit.

Mollie Katzen, with over 6 million books in print, is listed by the New York Times as one of the best-selling cookbook authors of all time. A 2007 inductee into the prestigious James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame, and largely credited with moving healthful vegetarian food from the “fringe” to the center of the American dinner plate, Ms. Katzen has been named by Health Magazine as one of “The Five Women Who Changed the Way We Eat.”

In addition she is a charter member of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Roundtable and an inaugural honoree of the Natural Health Hall of Fame. An award-winning illustrator and designer as well as best-selling cookbook author and popular public speaker, Mollie Katzen is best known as the creator of the groundbreaking classics Moosewood Cookbook, and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. Her other books include the award-winning children’s cookbook trilogy, Pretend Soup,Honest Pretzels, and Salad People; Vegetable Heaven (winner of the International Cookbook Reveu Best in Category award); Sunlight Café; Eat, Drink, & Weigh Less (with Walter Willett, MD of Harvard), and the best-selling The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without

Just created a new recipe. This raw veggie stew took about 15 minutes to create and is tastey and fun. You can try lots of variations when you suddenly find yourself with more food and veggies than expected.

2 large leaves of swiss chard
2 carrots any size (I used fresh carrots with greens on top. You can leave tops on or emove them as you wish)
1 small handful of sunflower sprouts
1/4-3/4 cups of pumpkin seeds raw (More nuts the creamier texture)
2 chopped red plums
1 handful of fresh parsley or fresh cilantro
1/2 large peeled cucumber
1/4 cup of water.

In a blender add 2 ingredients to the water blend. Add 2 more ingredients until all are blended completely. Serve. Optional: chill.
Serves 2-4 depending on size of bowl. Have extra? Pour into a ball or other glass jar and store in the refrigerator. Freezing in a ziplock bag is also a consideration. The frozen soup can be chopped in to cubes and added to other sauces or sops as well.

Some people prefer chunky stews. Add any of your favorite chopped raw veggies to this blend. Be creative. Fruits will also make a more dazzling epicure. Add mangos, papayas or pineapple.
Have fun! Recipe by MAry MacIntyre. Feel free to share, just use my url and name thanks.

More recipes from Tom Armstrong. Raw is fast, tasety and so much fun in the summer.

Marinara Sauce
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked or oil-packed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T minced fresh basil, or 1 t dried
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t crushed garlic (1 clove)
1/4 t salt
Dash black pepper (optional)
Dash cayenne
Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Marinara Sauce will keep for 3 days.
Pesto
2 cups basil leaves (stems removed), tightly packed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 t crushed garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 t salt
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
Place the basil, olive oil, garlic and salt in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until the basil is chopped. Add the pine nuts and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Do not overprocess: you should still see flecks of pine nuts throughout. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Pesto will keep for 5 days.
Almond Mesquite Mylk
2 1/4 cup dry almonds (will become 3 1/4 cup after 8 hrs soaking). Remember to rinse well after soaking
1 1/2 T mesquite pod meal
1 t salt
1 vanilla bean or non-alcohol vanilla
Soak nuts in filtered water for recommended amount of time.
Drain nuts. Combine all ingredients, fill Vita Mix to top with filtered water. Process all ingredients until smooth. Strain ingredients through a piece of cheesecloth or nylon bag (or stocking), squeeze hard. Use mylk for cereal, dessert or alone. Dehydrate te “pulp” that is left after straining. Spread pulp on a Teflex sheet and dehydrate at 110 F until dry and flaky. Use as flour in bread recipes or for cookies.
Raw Chocolate
1 16 oz package of cacao paste
Agave (to taste)
Vanilla
Coconut oil (optional)
Nuts and/or Goji berries (optional)
Put cacao paste in Pyrex measuring cup and then place cup into pan with water (being careful not to let water overflow into cacao) — place pan on burner and put on low heat. Watch and let cacao melt but be sure not to let it get too hot (under 110 F). use a liquid thermometer or as long as you can put your finger in the liquid and leave for 4 or 5 seconds before it burns, it should be fine. As soon as cacao paste melts, add other ingredients and pour or spoon into molds or pan. Once it sets up, put in air-tight containers and store in refrigerator.

Dazzle your firends with secrets from Monica Sheridan’s “The Art of Irish Cooking” Doubleday Publishing
Whiting is a fish that once was abundant in Ireland (1960’s) You can use other white fish if you cannot find WHiting.

Whiting Fillets
p 32 of the art of Irish Cooking, M.S.

This recipe is mostly for children and healthy adults.
4 tblsps of flour
1/2 teasppon of baking powder
Salt and Pepper
A pinch of herbs
1/4 cup of cold water
4 small whiting fillets
Hot oil for frying

Mix the flour, baking powder, seaonings, and herbs with the water ( no lumps please) until you have a batter the consistency of thick cream. Put the fillets into this aaaaand when they are coated, one by one drop them into a pan of smoking-hot oil. The batter will puff up and become very crisp, while the fish is moist and succulent inside.

Fried Herrings
2 herrings
2 tbsps Irish Oatmeal
Butter for frying
Coarse Salt (Celtic Salt)
Roll the fresh herrings in oatmeal. Fry in a thick pan that has been coated and greased with butter. Drain on a piece of paper and season with coarse salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

Broiled Herrings
2 herrings
A little dry mustard
Salt
Rub the fish with mustard and broil over a clear fire.Season with salt. This is nicest when done in the open air.

Herring Roes
There are 2 distincy types of roe. There is gritty roes with thousands of tiny eggs from the female. There is soft milky roe from the male. Both are great.
1 pound of herring roes
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup flour
Butter for frying
Lemon juice, black pepper
Toss the roes in the salted flour. Fry gently in butter in heavy frying pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice and black pepper. Serve on rounds of buttered toast.

There lots more fun recipes that will dazzle your friends in her book” The Art of Irish Cooking” by Monica Sheridan Published by Double Day.

ALthough there is good tips below, first consider your attitude about meals. Yes you can have a great gourmet meal. Still break down the expectations and selections. Create a marvelous salad with two different dressings on the side. A new version of potatoes could be wonderful, but also have good bread and butter. If they don’t like the potatoes they can gracefully eat some bread. If they want to place cheese, some salad on the bread as a sandwich, relax. They are eating aren’t they? The less attached you are to the results, the better. Enjoy your food. Let them find ways to enjoy theirs.
Choices empower everyone.
Read on.

You should also keep in mind that your children are people too when cooking for them. Just as you have foods you like and dislike they also will develop tastes over time. Those tastes may also change in time as well. It’s frustrating, I know, to spend time and money preparing a meal only to have your child push the plate away and refuse to even try the meal. For this, I recommend enlisting their help in the kitchen. Children are much more likely to eat the things they had a hand in preparing as a matter of accomplishment and pride. It’s psychological warfare I know but all is fair in war and dinnertime. (Erase that warfare idea. Kids love to help out and share their ideas. Encourage them with love and fun.)

Perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself (much greater than the help in the kitchen) by ‘forcing’ your little ones to help prepare dinner is that they will learn to better appreciate your culinary efforts and eat peacefully rather than sullenly. This tactic has met with great success in my friends’ households when cooking for little ones. I hope you will enjoy the same degree of success as well.

Start by making a list of foods you want them to eat and foods they want to eat. Classify by category (protein,fruits, vegetables, grains). Mix and match. Limit multiple starches.
Pick 3 vegetables for each meal, let them choose portion size. Have at least one veggie they like. If you know that they love burgers vary burgers: veggie burger, bean and sprout burger, chicken burger, and red meat burger. They will get a protein they like. Skip the buns. Use whole grain bread, tortillas (whole grain) or pita bread. Or simply skip the bread. Add some brown rice or quinoa.

REad below For more ideas. Also frequently have small bowls fo soups. You can add 3-4 veggies in a soup creating a quick way for children to get theri veggies quick.

On a burger night be sure to add veggie topping and use a fruit for dessert.

When it comes to cooking for little ones, however man, woman, and child cannot live on macaroni and cheese alone. It’s been tried and tested and failed miserably. Try mixing things up whenever you can while keeping meals kid friendly. It is important that you try to introduce whole grains, proteins, and vegetables whenever possible at meal times around your home. The good news is that there are many prepackaged convenience foods that are introducing whole grains like never before in order to meet the growing demand of consumers for healthier meals that can be prepared with little fan fare or fuss.

Cooking healthier meals for kids is now easier than ever before. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best whenever possible. However, if you cannot manage fresh, you should avoid canned (fruits especially as they are often swimming in sugary sweetness) whenever possible. Frozen is far preferable to canned when it comes to both fruit and vegetables, as there are often fewer additives. (Progresso soups and some health store soups are an exception: however watch the ingredients for extra salt or sweeteners.)

If you need some great meal ideas that are kid friendly and easy on the budget, you can often find recipes readily available online. You can meet your child’s calcium and dairy product needs by adding milk as the drink of choice for meals or a slice of cheese melted over their favorite vegetable. Ice cream, yogurt, and pudding also make excellent calcium rich treats, in moderation of course.

Encourage your children to try new things rather than cooking the same few meals over and over again that you know they are likely to eat. This prevents two things from happening. First of all, it helps you not to get bored when cooking for your children. Second, it allows your children to try new flavors and textures and form opinions about them. By trying new things they will learn not only about the things they dislike but also the foods they really enjoy

Sometimes I can get great buys at my Health Food Store. Recently tthe cherries were beginning to be too ripe and ditto with some Apricots. They became dollar specials. So I got some of both. Situations like these require fast thinking and prep: as although most of the fruit was excellent, they were not going to last long.

There’s just me in my house. Obviously a family could consume the fruit as is fast. Here’s what I did.

2 cups of cherries cleaned, pitted, and halved
6 large apricots cleaned, pitted, and quartered
1/8 cup shredded coconut
1/8 cup of water

Enough for three servings
Thus I put the extra in a small glass jar.

Blend the apricots, water, and coconut.
Pour into one or more serving bowls

Blend the cherries (separately)
Stir slowly into previous mix to create a pattern of your choice.
(Truthfully I just blended everything together. The swirl adds to the presentation.)

This recipe also is good by adding some collagen.
One can always add to the fun by adding yougurt, cream, or add ice cream to the top.

When refrigerated overnight the mixture thickens. It tastes even bettr cold and would be good as a small bowl with sliced fruit around the edge, or on crackers or toast to compliment breakfast.

Need more recipes? Visit: http://rawfoodsdiet.wetpaint.com/page/Sun+Burger+Recipe
Sunflower Seed Burger:
2-6 Cups sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours or use blended sunflower and pea sprouts.
1/2 Cup chopped carrots
1 Sweet purple onion minced
1/2 clove of chopped garlic
1/4 cup of raisins soaked for 15 minutes

2-4 tsps cilantro chopped
Mix 2-3 ingredients, add water as needed until all ingreidents are blended. Make patties sto size and thickness desired. Place them on a pan in the oven and bake not over 100 degrees F. Personally, if you make a thick enough mix, you can make the burger, chill, and then add toppings to create your burger.

You may experiment with other ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes, grated zuchinnis, or grated red beets.

Summertime classics. These pies still sell out at the restaurants often!

Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups whole wheat on non-gluten flour. If you use a non gluten free flour, consider adding some nut butter or butter for added flavor.

Honey or agave add slowly to create a texture you prefer.
1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup olive or sesame oil. Or mix coconut oil and another light oil of choice.

Pinch salt
1 egg or no-egg whites or 3 tsps of agar agar
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/4 cup ice cold water
Filling:
2 1/2 cups chopped red rhubarb, fresh
2 1/2 cups de-stemmed, washed and cut strawberries (in larger pieces)
Add 1 cup of raisins or non sugar sweetener
2 tablespoons minute tapioca
1 tablespoon rice flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter, cubed small
1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water (or vegan substitue)

Crust Preparation:
Directions
Blend the flours, sugar, shortening, butter and salt. Whisk the egg, vinegar and water in a 2-cup measure and pour over the dry ingredients incorporating all the liquid without overworking the dough. Toss the additional flour over the ball of dough and chill if possible. Divide the dough into 2 disks. Roll out 1 piece of dough to make a bottom crust. Place into a pie dish. Put dish in refrigerator to chill.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Filling Preparation:
Mix the rhubarb, strawberries,sweetener, tapioca, flour, zest and juice of lemon, dash of cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well in a large bowl and pour out into chilled crust. Dot the top of the filling with the butter. Brush edges of pie crust with egg white wash. Roll out the other piece of dough and place over filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with egg white wash and garnish with large granule sugar. Collar with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling starts bubbling. Higher altitude will take 450 degrees F and 400 degrees F respectively.

Avocado DIp: Secret Ingredient: lettuce of your choice.
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds blended
1-4 avocados sliced
1/2-1 head of lettuce: green or red leaf lettuce or romaine preferred
1/2 bunch of scallions wash and chopped
1/2 apple chopped
1tsp salt or less
1/4 tsp of garlic powder or less
1tblsp of flax oil
1tsp of hemp oil
NM Red Chile powder of choice

Blend ingredients ingredients 2-3 at a time with a s mall amount of water. Chop lettuce first to aid easier blending. Blend until thick and creamy. Taste add more spice as desired. Serve immediately or chill.

This recipe is full of healthy fats and Omega 3’s. Using lettuce can save you cost as you need less avocados. Also lettuce has a good mineral content.

Use the dip as a spread on cracker or for mini-sandwiches. Also great on croissants with sliced tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, or very thinly sliced zuchinni’s. Add a little cilantro or horseradish too.
Include variations for people with different preferences. A sandwich bufft bar would also work well.

Serve with a blueberry-watermelon salad.

want to skip the dips/sandwich notion? Try adding two large lemons squeezed and some water to extend as a soup. Also add chopped tomatoes or cucumbers for crisp chunky texture. Chill and serve.

Non-vegans would enjoy adding yogurt or sour cream to both recipes. Quick and great summer fun!

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=8K4CN&m=1ct_nqnEsSUWOv&b=TfjHVb5qRLfFlTRkEtrvDg

Here’s a few good ideas about watermelon soup. Today I made my own version. 4 inches or so of chopped watermelon. More for larger servings. Blend. Add a handful of mung bean sprouts and blend again. The sprouts add more protein. They also thicken the soup. Serve cold.

You could also or instead blend some of your favorite nuts. This variation creates a thicker creamier soup.

If you want a lighter soup, blend as instructed above, without sprouts. Add chopped fruits. Eamples: finely chopped apples, peaches, apricots or dried cherries, cranberries. Or you may want to splurge and add chopped mango and fresh blueberries. Chill until you are ready to serve. adding fruits instead of blending them keeps the joy of watermelon flavor and color and the distinct delicious flavors of each other fruit.

One of the chefs in the videos also said you could use other melons. If you are going to do this, the soups automatically are going to be heavier and a much more strong flavor. You might want to add a diluted juice base: water, cranberry juice, lemon juice and water, or lime juice and water. Banannas, pineapple, strawberries would be more appropiate complimenting fruits. Shredded coconut or coconut milk also would work well. A few sprigs of peppermint would make the soup look deliciously summer.

These soups are more filling than you expect but each capture summer’s freshness and won’t add the “weight”. Enjoy! Feel free to share.