Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup

Ahh, summerthyme!  Dining alfresco on the patio; cool and comfy tank tops and shorts; lazy afternoons; veggies on the backyard grill; and ice-cold cocktails.  It’s the perfect time to grab a bunch of nutrient-rich produce and whip up a cold, blended soup like this one — the Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup.

The only cold soup I recall from my childhood was a bright pink beet borscht that my mom used to make.  But in her version of that particular soup, the beets were cooked, not raw — so that’s totally different from the style of soup in this recipe.  I was first introduced to cold, blended soups using raw ingredients during my studies at the School of Natural Cookery — and since then I have enjoyed creating recipes (like this one) that are based on that experience.

Here’s the great thing about cold, blended soups:  1) They offer a simple way to combine a wide variety of healthy veggies into a tasty dish; 2) They can accommodate substitutions if you don’t happen to have certain ingredients on hand; 3) They provide the benefits of raw food; and 4) They add a vibrant splash of color to your meal.

Benefits of Eating Raw Food

Fans of raw food diets will tell you that consumption of uncooked food comes with fantastic health benefits.  Raw veggies and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals.  And raw-food fans will also point out that cooking veggies might destroy important nutrients — but, on the other hand, it’s also worth noting that cooking also kills the bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.  So because some uncooked foods are commonly linked to food-borne illnesses, you will need to wash your ingredients for this soup very thoroughly.  You should also be extra careful with foods that are sometimes more risky.  Such riskier foods include: alfalfa sprouts (whose high water content may encourage microbe growth); berries (whose crevices may harbor dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residues); and leafy greens (which may be prone to bacterial contamination from poor handling practices during processing).  Bottom line:  buy organic if you can, and wash thoroughly before you blend!

I follow a few general guidelines when making a cold, blended soup:  1) toss in an avocado to create a rich, creamy texture; 2) include an onion so you don’t end up with a sweet smoothie (which is a great summerthyme treat, too, but not what we are after); and 3) select the ingredients based on the color you wish to achieve.  (The Green Goodness Vegan SummerThyme Soup might be closer to aqua if you include some blueberries!)

Top it off with SuperSeedz for an added nutritional boost.  Just be creative and give cold, blended soups a try; they are a great treat for summerthyme.