Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho with Nori Gomasio

This is such a refreshing chilled soup for a warm summer day. All you need to do is add the ingredients to a blender and in two minutes it’s ready to sip on. The avocado creates a nice creamy texture, and the nori gomasio is the perfect, simple, salty, and crunchy condiment to sprinkle on top.

CUCUMBER AVOCADO GAZPACHO INGREDIENTS

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil½ cup Water2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar½ teaspoon Sea SaltPinch of Red Pepper Flakes½ Avocado2 large Cucumbers, chopped 1 tablespoon Shallots, diced1 small Clove Garlic, minced1 tablespoon Nori Gomasio (recipe below)Drizzle of Sesame Oil, toasted

CUCUMBER AVOCADO GAZPACHO ASSEMBLY

1 | Put the olive oil, water, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, avocado, cucumbers, shallots, and garlic into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust any other seasoning that you feel necessary. 2 | Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. 3 | Divide amongst 4 bowls, and top each with gomasio and sesame oil, if using. (This is best if enjoyed immediately, but will keep for a day or two in an airtight container in the fridge.)*Serves 4.

Nori Gomasio:

Gomasio is a Japanese condiment made up of sesame seeds and salt. (I like to think of it as a more nutritious finishing salt.) I often add some nori to my gomasio, which ups the nutritional value and gives it a boost of iodine, a nutrient we all need. I sprinkle this over anything and everything, from soup to salad to roasted vegetables and even over my oatmeal for breakfast.

NORI GOMASIO INGREDIENTS

1 cup Sesame Seeds1 tablespoon Sea Salt 1 sheet Toasted Nori, coarsely chopped

NORI GOMASIO ASSEMBLY

1 | Heat a medium frying pan over low heat, and add the sesame seeds. 2 | Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. 3 | Transfer the seeds to a food processor and pulse just a few times until the mixture is uniform in size (tiny granules) -- but be careful not to overprocess as you still want to give texture to the sesame seeds. (This will last for several months in an airtight jar in the pantry.)*Makes a little more than 1 cup.From More with Less: Whole Food Cooking Made Irresistibly Simple by Jodi Moreno © 2018. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc.