GAZPACHO

This recipe was inspired by a delicious Gazpacho we enjoyed on our McDougall Cruise to Belize in June of 1998. My daughter, Heather, and I loved the Gazpacho with the chunks of avocado in it, but we both agreed it was pureed too much. When we returned home, one of the first things I did was to create a similar Gazpacho containing wonderful summer vegetables, but not so heavily pureed. This soup could also be made without using a blender. Chop the vegetables finely (except for the avocado) and combine them in a bowl with the tomato juice and other ingredients.

 Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Chilling Time: 3-4 hours

Servings: 8-10

2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
1 cup coarsely chopped cucumber
� cup coarsely chopped celery
� cup coarsely chopped bell pepper
� cup coarsely chopped green onions
� cup canned diced green chilies
� cup fresh parsley
� cup fresh cilantro
4 cups tomato juice
1 � tablespoons wine vinegar
1 � tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado, peeled and chunked (optional)

Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, celery, bell pepper, green onions, green chilies, parsley and cilantro in a large bowl. Place 1 cup of the tomato juice in a blender jar. Add about 1 cup of the mixed vegetables and process briefly. Pour into a separate container. Repeat until the juice and vegetables are all processed. Stir in the wine vinegar, lime juice and avocado, if desired. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.

Hint: Do not over process when blending. This delicious cold soup should not be a puree, but should have small pieces of vegetables in it.

SOUTHWEST BEAN & RICE SALAD

Because the mayonnaise recommended in this salad does not contain any eggs or other animal products, it does not spoil as quickly as other mayonnaise does. This salad is great to take on a picnic. It may also be made without using the mayonnaise. Increase the salsa amount by about 2 tablespoons.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes (cooked rice needed)

Servings: 6

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
4 green onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
� cup salsa, mild, medium or hot
� cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
several twists freshly ground pepper

Place the rice in a large bowl. Add beans, chilies, corn, peas, green onions, celery and tomato. Mix well. Mix the salsa and the mayonnaise together. Pour over the salad and mix well. Add the cilantro and black pepper and mix again. Serve at once or refrigerate until serving time.

Hint: The kind of beans used may be varied as desired. The best fat-free mayonnaise that contains no animal products is made by Nasoya Foods. It is called Nasoya Nayonaise Fat Free. It should be available in most natural food stores.

TAILGATE SLOPPY JOES

These are wonderful to take to a picnic. Ladle the Sloppy Joes into a wide mouth thermos container and pack all the fixings in separate plastic bags or containers. They are easy to assemble when it is time to eat.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6-8

� cup vegetable broth
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic (see hint)
1 12 ounce package Yves Veggie Ground Round (see hint)
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
� tablespoon prepared mustard
� tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
� tablespoon cider vinegar
� teaspoon chili powder
several twists freshly ground pepper

Place the vegetable broth, onions, bell pepper and garlic in a large non-stick frying pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, breaking up the veggie crumbles with a spoon and mixing well. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes. Serve on buns with your favorite trimmings.

Hint: Use bottled fresh minced garlic to save time. It is available in most supermarkets. Yves Veggie Ground Round is a ground beef substitute available in most natural food stores and some supermarkets. Pillsbury Co. makes a similar product called Green Giant Harvest Burgers for Recipes. It is available in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets.

CHILLED BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CRISP TORTILLA STRIPS

This recipe was inspired by a similar dish we enjoyed at Guaymas Restaurant in Tiburon, California. It was a warm Sunday afternoon and a chilled soup sounded delicious. We enjoyed it so much, that a few days later, I created my own version at home that we shared with our neighbors, who liked it as much as we did.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 2-3 hours
Servings: 4
� cup chopped onion
� teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/3 cup water
2 15 ounce cans black beans
2 tablespoons canned diced green chilies
several dashes of Tabasco sauce
� to 1 cup salsa
� cup chopped green onions
� cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 soft corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the onion, garlic and water in a saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse 1 can of the beans. Add the 1 can of beans with the juice to the pan, then add the drained beans, the green chilies and the Tabasco sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then refrigerate until chilled.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas and cut into � inch wide strips with a scissors. Spread strips in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes (don’t let them get too brown). Remove from oven and set aside in a bowl, or place in a zip lock bag for later use.

To serve soup, ladle into bowls. Top each bowl with some of the crisp tortilla strips, a tablespoon or two of salsa, a few green onions and some cilantro.

Hint: This soup is also delicious served hot with the same garnishes.

RAINBOW SUMMER STEW WITH COUSCOUS

This is a wonderful way to use some of the delicious fresh garden vegetables available in the summer. Couscous is a light, satisfying small pasta that cooks very quickly. It should be available in most supermarkets.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

1 12 ounce package of couscous cooked according to package directions
1 � cups vegetable broth
1 � cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
� cups coarsely chopped green bell pepper
� cups coarsely chopped red bell pepper
2 zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 yellow crookneck squash, chopped into bite sized pieces
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup corn kernels
2 tablespoons soy sauce
� cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place � cup of the vegetable broth in a large pot. Add onions and garlic, cook and stir for 2 minutes, then add the bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 more minutes. Add zucchini and squash to the pot, mix well, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and remaining vegetable broth and cook, covered for another 3 minutes. Add corn and seasonings. Cook, covered for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over the couscous.

Hint: To thicken this stew before serving, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into � cup cold water. Add to the stew while stirring. Cook and stir until thickened. This may also be made with dried herbs. Use 1 tablespoon parsley flakes and 1 teaspoon dried basil. The vegetables in this stew may be varied according to what you have on hand, but be sure to use the tomatoes and onions.

GRILLED VEGETABLE KABOBS

The dressing for basting these kabobs can be varied with any other fat free dressing of your choice. There are many excellent Teriyaki and Garlic marinades available in most supermarkets. The vegetables may also be varied as you choose.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Servings: 6-8

2 zucchini, cut in � inch slices
2 yellow summer squash, cut in � inch slices
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and left whole (unless they are very large)
1 Japanese eggplant, cut in � inch slices
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 sweet onion, cut in wedges
1 pint large cherry tomatoes
1 cup fat free honey-Dijon salad dressing

Heat grill to medium.

Alternately thread vegetables onto skewers. Brush with some of the dressing and grill for 10-15 minutes, turning and basting with dressing every few minutes. Serve with cooked rice or pasta.

SUMMER PASTA SALAD

This is one of our favorite summer salad meals. The pasta, vegetables, beans and dressing may all be varied according to what is available. Make the salad in the morning and it will be ready for an easy, no-cook meal in the evening.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Chilling Time: 2-3 hours

Servings: 8

2 cups bow-tie pasta, or other medium pasta
� cup vegetable broth
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 cups zucchini, cut in bite sized pieces
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
� cup chopped green onions
1 cup corn kernels
� teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes chopped
� to 1 cup fat free salad dressing
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the vegetable broth in a large nonstick frying pan. Add broccoli, zucchini, bell pepper, green onions, corn and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add beans, tomatoes and cooked pasta. Mix well. Pour dressing over the salad and season with freshly ground pepper. Toss well to mix. Refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.

REFRESHING FRUIT COOLERS

These simple fruit drinks are always a favorite. They can be served for breakfast or a quick snack during the day.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

1 � cups apple, pineapple or orange juice
3 cups frozen chopped fruit

Place juice and fruit in a blender jar and process until smooth.

Hint: Use all one kind of fruit, such as strawberries, or use a mixture, such as cantaloupe, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, etc. Many natural food stores and supermarkets sell frozen chopped fruit in bags. Keep some on hand for an easy to fix treat.

STRAWBERRY-BANANA DELIGHT

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Chilling Time: 2-3 hours

2 pints strawberries
3 bananas
2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons tapioca

Clean strawberries. Slice 1 pint and set aside. Place remaining strawberries, 1 banana and the apple juice in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a sauce pan and add the honey and tapioca. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until tapioca is clear. Remove from heat and let cool, at least 20 minutes. Slice remaining bananas and stir sliced strawberries and bananas into the tapioca mixture. Spoon into individual dessert cups and chill before serving.

BAKED APPLES

These may be served either warm or chilled.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 4

� cup water
1 6 ounce can frozen apple juice concentrate
4 large apples
� cup raisins or chopped dates
� teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the water and apple juice concentrate in a small saucepan. Cook until heated through, about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the top 1/3 of the apples and remove the core. Mix raisins or dates with the cinnamon and stuff this mixture into the cored apples. Place apples in a square baking dish. Pour the hot juice over the apples. Bake, uncovered, for about 60 minutes.