Chilled Avocado Soup with Corn Relish

I love a good bowl of soup. Especially in the winter time when I can cozy up close, wrap my fingers and hug the bowl, letting the vapor kiss my cheeks. In the summer, when the heat is not so scarce, a cold soup can serve the same purpose, countering my internal furnace with some much appreciated chill factor.

This soup boasts a creamy consistency thanks to summer's ripe avocados, a sultry smokiness from the chipotle chili powder and a pleasant crunch of the occasional golden corn kernel. The lovely oleic monounsaturated fats from the avocado allow it to act as an entree soup, giving it a rich and satisfying mouth feel as well as some substance in your belly. This same lipid has been proven to help lower cholesterol, and paired with avocado's high levels of potassium and folate, it makes this delicious creamy vegetable a heart-health superstar. Enjoying your vegetables has never been so easy.....

Serve with a hearty multigrain bread and a bright carrot salad to round out the meal. Last night we enjoyed it with a wheat-free flatbread topped with an edamame spread and it was delicious. If this looks good to you, feel free to anxiously await the recipes later this week...

Chilled Avocado Soup with Corn Salsa

Serves 12

Ingredients

2 small tomatillos, husked and rinsed, chopped

1 large serrano chile, seeded and chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups light vegetable stock

¼ cup lime juice

1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

4 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 ear of corn, kernals cut off

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

2 ears sweet corn, shucked

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

1 ripe red tomato, seeded and cut into¼-inch dice

¼ cup minced red onion

1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced

2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1/8-1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Add the tomatillos, serrano, onion, garlic, and 2 cups stock to a soup pot. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, until the tomatillos start to soften. Place saucepan in a ice bath to cool quickly.

Add the lime juice, avocados, cucumber, corn, cilantro and spices to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cooled mixture from the saucepan. Put back in the fridge to completely chill.

To prepare the salsa, cut the kernals of corn off of the cob into a bowl. Add the rest of the salsa ingredients and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary and set aside.

To serve, take the soup out of the fridge and season to taste. Adjust any flavors if necessary. Ladle into small bowls and garnish with the corn salsa.

Relax. Eat Well.