What’s Up With Gazpacho? Here’s a Quick Recipe

Image source: MadewithLovia.com    

Gazpacho is far more commonly enjoyed than its exotic name somewhat implies. It’s a cold soup made of raw, blended veggies, and it’s a staple in Spanish cuisine originating in the southern region of Andalusia. While it’s widely eaten in countries like Spain and Portugal, especially during hot summers, it’s also eaten in the United States as refreshing comfort food.

Gazpacho recipes traditionally involve stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil, wine vinegar, water, and salt. The vegetables are pounded in a mortar with a pestle, but today its smooth consistency is achieved using blenders and food processors. Gazpacho may also be served with garnishes such as hard boiled eggs and chopped almonds.

Now it’s the summer time and one can do away with traditional gazpacho and try a new twist to the classic. It’s called watermelon gazpacho, and the recipe calls for seedless watermelon, heirloom tomatoes, skinned cucumber, red onion, and Yuzu juice. Add all ingredients to a blender with 2-3 cubes of ice and blend on medium. Slowly drizzle in some quality extra virgin olive oil, add about ¼ c, salt to taste, and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Image source: Pixabay.com  

Now it’s shrimp time, a great way to complement the gazpacho. Mix Yuzu Koshu, minced garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, and EVOO. Toss peeled and cleaned shrimp, and let marinate in the fridge for around an hour. Plate, serve with fennel greens, and add a drizzle of EVOO. Add some flaky sea salt while at it. Enjoy!

Eva Lovia shares her love for food and cooking through her blog page MadeWithLovia.com, and her Twitch page MadeWithLovia. While her pages mostly focus on food, Eva is working on more lifestyle and travel entries. Read more recipes on this blog.

Eat This: Five Reasons To Follow a Healthy Diet

Image source: pixabay.com

Eating healthy is not easy, but with discipline and commitment, anyone who decides to do so can succeed and will find that it’s the best decision they can make for themselves. There are numerous reasons for eating healthy and not all of them have to do with weight management.

Healthier body

Most people, if not everybody, aim to have a healthier body for themselves and their loved ones. Being skinny isn’t always healthy, and maintaining a weight slightly heavier than those of others is not necessarily an indication of being overweight. A healthier body achieved through a healthy diet could eliminate the threat of lifestyle diseases.

Better mood

Eating right and exercising daily boosts mood significantly. These habits are important to the maintenance of stable blood sugar levels. Eating healthy reduces stress, as well.

Enhanced productivity

The brain needs fuel to run effectively and efficiently. By eating healthy, one feeds the brain with the right vitamins and minerals, which contributes to an increase in focus. Lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet are culprits of low productivity.

Image source: pixabay.com

More savings

Eating right can save money, as health insurance premiums are heavily based on age and health. Maintaining a healthy weight by eating right before shopping for a life insurance can lower the costs considerably.

Increased energy

Eating the right foods provides the body the energy it needs to run smoothly throughout the day. Healthy carbohydrates supply energy for sustained periods. However, unhealthy carbohydrates can make one sluggish soon after consumption.

Eva Lovia is a lifestyle blogger and influencer with a genuine love and interest for food. She is passionate about beauty, nutrition, health and fitness. For related updates, follow this Twitter page.