Country Garden Gazpacho With Garlic Croutons

It's a good idea to make this gazpacho first thing in the morning so it can chill in the fridge all day and the flavors can develop. You can serve it for lunch or with some salad or steamed veggies for a light, no-meat dinner.

Country Garden Gazpacho With Garlic Croutons

Ingredients

• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup red or white sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon red ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Preparation

Drop 1 garlic clove through the feed tube of a running food processor and process until finely chopped. In batches, add the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion; process until pureed. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, until well chilled.

Meanwhile, smash the remaining garlic clove with the flat side of a chef's knife or a meat mallet. Place the garlic and oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, turning and pressing down on the garlic, until golden, about 4 minutes. Discard the garlic.

Add the bread cubes to the garlic oil and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a bowl and let cool. To serve, stir the soup and ladle it into bowls. Top each serving with some of the croutons. You're going to love it!

Serves 4.

Per 1 1/4 cups: 130 calories, 21 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 4.5 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g dietary fiber, 450 mg sodium