Green Bean Potato Salad

Eating local and seasonal is one of the key principals of healthy eating.  Why?  Local and seasonal foods grow in the same conditions in which you live and thus help you thrive there—or should I say endure as the temperatures exceed 100 degrees in Kansas City.  My CSA delivered plenty of tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini this week.  Plus I received more of the same, green beans and hot peppers from a patient who gardens organically.  If you don’t know about CSA, please read my article Want Fresh Produce?  Hire a Farmer!

This refreshing soup is delicious served cold.  It gets its creamy texture from the oatmeal, a trick to remember if you are avoiding dairy.  You can serve it along side Cold Tomato Sauce or Tempeh Kebabs or as a light lunch with the cucumber wakame salad and corn.

Cream of Cucumber Soup

¼ green pepper, chopped
2 TBSP grape seed oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 pound cucumbers peeled and chopped
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp vegetable broth mix if using water
½ cup rolled oats
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or ½ tsp dill seed

Heat the oil in a 2 quart soup pot over medium heat.  Add the green pepper and sauté 3 – 4 minutes until soft.  Add the celery and sauté 2 minutes more until celery softens.  Add the cucumbers and dill seed if using.  Sauté 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add the water, broth mix, and rolled oats.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender and puree.  Add the lemon juice and stir well.  Add fresh dill if using.  Chill and serve cold.  Serves 4 – 6.

Variation:  This week I substituted a small amount of hot pepper for the green pepper and ½ teaspoon cumin instead of the dill.  Cumin and hot pepper help break up that stuck feeling the hot humid weather brings on this time of year.  I’ll serve it sprinkled with fresh cilantro.