The sun is shining bright and there is a general sense of warmth, laziness, and relaxation in the air. Summer is here, and what better way to celebrate the start of the season than refreshing the palate with a delightfully light bowl of heirloom tomato gazpacho?
Some argue that heirloom tomatoes are the crown jewel of the summer harvest. We aren’t arguing against them, either! Think of heirloom tomatoes as nature’s candy, bursting with lovely sweetness and a touch of acidity in every bite. Don’t let their looks scare you away, either! They may appear strange and come in a variety of colors, but they are some of the best tasting tomatoes you’ll ever enjoy. When you blend together the different colors to make this gazpacho, you get to fully appreciate their inherent flavor. Let’s take a look at some of their benefits below.
- Powered by vitamins: These tomatoes are rich sources of vitamins A and C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant that works to reduce inflammation and improve heart health. Plus, organically-grown heirloom tomatoes tend to be higher in lycopene, which may help protect against breast, colorectal, lung, prostate, bladder, and skin cancers.
- Precious seeds: Much like your grandmother’s china, heirloom seeds are viewed as precious treasures. For an heirloom tomato to meet heirloom status, it needs to have been around for at least 50 years. Newer genetic variations of heirloom tomatoes are simply hybrids.
- Vitamin K for the win: Studies suggest that heirloom tomatoes are great sources of vitamin K, which is necessary for healthy, strong bones. Researchers note that vitamin K consumption can help prevent osteoporosis.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Soups & Stews, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c cucumber, diced
- 1/2 c yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 c red onion, diced
Instructions
- Add the heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and sea salt and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth.
- If you want to have different colored gazpachos, you can individually blend heirloom tomatoes that are the same color. Blend the oil, vinegar, garlic, and sea salt and pepper separately and evenly distribute that mixture into the different colored gazpachos.
- When ready to serve, top each bowl of gazpacho with a little diced cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
