No meat, No heat : Light lunch for warm days

The debate continues over which foods are best for breast cancer women, but last week's reports from Barcelona seem to suggest that a healthy diet is more important than ever. Plus I personally feel more energetic when I eat better food. "Skinny Chef" Jennifer Iserloh suggested some tips and a very unique recipe for a summer soup. Suz

It’s a drizzly day here in Hoboken, New Jersey but I’m not letting it get me down! Over the weekend I made a light lunch I want to share with you, that some of my friends nicknamed “guacamole” soup.  I love this simple blender soup because it’s creamy and satisfying, but at 137 calories per cup, I feel good instead of guilty sipping it as I pull my bikini out of storage in anticipation of my trip to Mexico.  Besides being calorie friendly, here are some other ways it will help you to stay cool and healthy this spring and summer.

Surefire Ways to Stay Hydrated
Avocado happens to be rich in potassium, one of the minerals that’s essential for balanced water levels in the body.  When it’s time to play in the sun, stay hydrated two ways with an iced drink and sumptuous blended soup that can be made in minutes.

Protect Inside and Out to Reduce Wrinkles
Add sweetness to summer dishes with juicy fruits such as kiwi, that are bursting vitamin C.  Along with a good coat of sun screen, this powerful antioxidant can help your skin repair itself after a day in the sun. And best of all: this beach bag friendly lunch will keep up to 8 hours in a thermos.

Yummy Tummy
Soup can satisfy and be nicely filling when made with ground nuts.  Almonds add plenty of texture and the right kinds of fat to this low calorie meal. Studies show that eating monounsaturated fats in place of saturated ones can reduce cortisol levels – important as cortisol is a prime driver of belly-fat build up.

Poolside Soup
 
Serves 8

I named this Poolside Soup because it’s light and packed with velvety, cool flavors that can refresh you on a hot day. It’s the perfect fast lunch, one that I can make even while chatting with my girlfriends.  It’s low in sodium, and won’t give you the belly bulge we all want to avoid during swimsuit season.

4 cups green grapes
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled
2 kiwifruits, peeled and quartered
2 medium shallots or 1/2 medium red onion, quartered
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water

Place the grapes, avocados, kiwis, shallots or red onions, vinegar, mint, almonds, and salt in a food processor. Add the water and pulse the mixture until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chill covered in an airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Per serving (1 cup): 137 calories, 3 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 296 mg sodium

Jennifer Iserloh, the Skinny Chef, believes that the essence of good health springs from your own kitchen.  You can eat the foods you love by cooking them the healthy way to satisfy both body and soul! She celebrates delicious, easy to prepare dishes that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, reinventing meals that grandma would be proud to serve.

As a trained chef, Jennifer has shared her recipes and healthy living tips both in print publications such a SELF magazine, Prevention, and First for Women, as well as on the Today Show, CBS, NBC and other TV and radio programs. A certified yoga teacher and former private chef for internationally known celebrities, she continues to teach the secrets to comforting meals made healthier and healthy fare made tastier.