First destination on our culinary trip around the world: Spain

As announced, you will find a recipe below, from the first destination on our culinary trip around the world:

Spain

Imagine the smell of orange blossoms in the heat of the afternoon, a soft guitar melody in the distance with beautiful Moorish accents, and from the restaurants which are cuddled at the base of the Alhambra, the former palace of the Sultan, escapes an amazing smell of herbs and garlic…

Nothing beats the heat either in Spain or in Canada better than a cold vegetable soup –

a Spanish “Gazpacho”

For about 4 servings of this gluten and dairy-free recipe you will need:

· 1.5 pound of ripe tomatoes diced, (easy alternative: a 14 ounce can of organic diced tomatoes, slightly drained)

· 1 English cucumber

· 1 small green bell pepper

· 1 small red bell pepper

· 1 onion

· 2-3 cloves of garlic

· 100 ml filtered water

· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

· Salt and pepper to taste (I take a ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt and a ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper)

1. Peel the cucumber and cut 2/3 of it into big pieces, put the remaining whole piece back in the fridge

2. Cut the tomatoes into big pieces, discarding the green stalks

3. Cut half a red bell pepper and half a green bell pepper into big pieces

4. Cut the onion into big pieces

5. Place the cut tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and garlic cloves in a food processor or a stand mixer

6. Process until finely pureed

7. Add about 100 ml of cold filtered water and the 3 tablespoons of olive oil

8. Process again until creamy

9. Add salt and pepper

10. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours

11. Shortly before serving cut the leftover cucumber, green and red bell pepper into tiny pieces, and top the gazpacho with them when serving

Enjoy!

Nutritional information:

Unless you are allergic to vegetables of the nightshade family, tomatoes are a powerhouse of antioxidants. They contain Lycopene, a carotenoid which helps to protect from heart disease and cancer. Bell peppers have even higher amounts of Vitamin C than oranges. Additionally, they contain Lycopene as well.

While cucumbers hydrate your body with their natural mix of electrolytes, especially potassium - onions and garlic are containing sulfur compounds which are supporting your liver to get rid of toxins and hormonal waste.

Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, a mono-unsaturated fat which supports heart health.