Summer Chilled Cucumber Soup
with Fresh Mint

Ingredients:

• 3   organic seedless cucumbers – peeled and cut in 3” pieces (or 2lbs regular cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut in 3″ pieces)
• 1/4 medium red onion
• 1-2  garlic clove
• 8-10  large mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons  flax oil or extra virgin olive oil
• ½ of a  freshly squeezed lemon
• 1 teaspoon  raw blue agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan  sea salt
• ¼ cupn organic plain yogurt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup spring water
• 1 medium tomato – seeded and cut in 1/8” cubes
• tiny mint leaves as garnish

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor with 1/2 cup of the spring water. Pulse a few until ingredients are coarsely chopped, then process until soup is very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. If necessary, thin with the remaining water to the desired consistency.
• Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, until well chilled Or Place the soup in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.
• Ladle soup in chilled soup bowls or cocktail glasses.  Garnish with a few tomato cubes, a mint leaf and serve immediately.

Serves 6

In the summertime, eating fresh vegetables and fruits is a great way to stay hydrated and get your nutrition as well.  Cucumber is the best natural diuretic known, secreting and promoting the flow of urine.

The flesh of the cucumber is mostly water, but also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling–these acids prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis. Cucumbers are a great treat for the skin. They have the same pH as the skin so they help restore the protective acid mantle–they also possess hydrating, nourishing and astringent properties.