Gluten Free Gazpacho

No Cooking!

More Tomatoes and another no cook recipe. This heatwave has brought about lighter meals and picky foods - something I'm definitely in favour of - so it's not been all bad. It mainly has though and my brain still isn't working properly because of it, so I'll do my best. How to concentrate on anything but slurping ice cold drinks in a heatwave?!

I'd never made Gazpacho before, I've eaten it in restaurants but never thought of making it myself. Having lots of Vine Tomatoes in the fridge and not wanting to cook made this pop into my head. It's quite possibly the healthiest recipe on here and probably why I've been struggling to write this post on and off for days. I'm better when there's naughtiness involved. 

You'll need a blender of some description but other than that just a nice sharp knife and the ingredients.

This serves 2 as a main meal - we had a side of Griddled Bread spread with Hot Smoked Garlic to dip.

Ingredients:

6 Large Vine Tomatoes

A 4 Inch length of Cucumber

1/2 Red Pepper

2 Large Garlic Cloves

Small handful of fresh Basil Leaves (about 2 stalks worth)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon White Vinegar (Sarson's used here)

Juice of 1 Lime

Big pinch of Sea Salt

If you aren't a fan of peppers then I'd make this without that ingredient, it'll be lovely. I like peppers cooked until they're really soft so although the flavours were lovely and balanced, I would have preferred this without any pepper in it. Eating something as healthy as this was a bit of a shocker, my taste buds aren't used to raw foods on this level. It's a lovely cold soup and perfect for a hot day but I have my vices, I can't help it. In reality I'd keep this for a detox.

Directions:

• Peel the tomatoes (see the Salsa post for full instructions)
• Peel the cucumber and garlic and pick the leaves from the basil stems
• Remove the stalk and seeds from the pepper
• Juice the lime
• Chop anything you need to fit into your blender
• Put all the ingredients into the blender and blitz until smooth

5 Minute Gazpacho

• Put into a container and pop into the fridge until chilled

You now have naturally gluten free Gazpacho.

Topped With Some Grana Padano and Small Basil Leaves (Just So The Photos Would Look Better. Ha!)

I've been making a lot of Bruschetta in recent weeks, it's so good for a quick meal in the heat. Here I used the base of Brushetta to go with the Gazpacho, it's just DS Gluten Free Bread (all of theirs work great) brushed with olive oil then griddled on both sides. Then it's spread with garlic that's been put into the smoker when we make Smoked Chicken, it goes all squidgy and is easily spreadable. Not to mention ya-umm.

Full Of Squidgy Goodness

Posh Toast And Yes, More Picnicware

The healthiest recipe you'll ever see on Free From G and the one I've had the most trouble writing and getting photos to display as they should. I cannot wait to hit publish and be done with this one.

A couple of things; Last Sunday I devised and made Cheesecake. FROM SCRATCH. You know how crap I am with desserts (other than Pancakes, my gluten free Pancakes furking ROCK!), well I nailed a pretty special Cheesecake (which I'll of course be sharing) and now have a new tagline for Free From G... I do not follow recipes, I create them! 

That's always been the case as you know but now I've finally mastered a dessert I'm feeling all cocky.

The other thing..... is that....... I ate Sushi for the first time in years last night. It was always my favourite and I had missed it greatly. But where did I get this safe to eat Sushi from? 

I MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back in the South Coast days it's something that I did from time to time, so I wasn't a complete Sushi making novice but it had been about 12 years! Not going to be doing a tutorial any time soon but I was bloody happy with the results.

No judging, it was my first attempt:

Need A Bit Of Practice

I'm off to have a wonderfully lazy (and hopefully not sweaty) 4 day weekend, see you on the other side :)