Cool Down with these Soups for the July 4th Holiday
Happy Meatless Monday.
To honor Meatless Monday, I thought it would be fun to share four chilled soup options to enjoy this fourth of July holiday or anytime this summer. Here are some favorites that are easy to make and celebrate fruits and vegetables that abundant this time of year. Any one of them could be just the ticket for that special dish you want to serve for those you love.
Chilled sweet pea bisque with minted cream sauce. This is a sleeper and truly a delight on the palate.
Photo By: S. Duquet
There have been fresh peas at our Farmer’s Markets the past few weeks and this would be a great way to enjoy them. It’s refreshing, full of bisque -rich flavor and is a good-for-you side dish, though you don’t have to tell anyone that.
The minted cream sauce is easy to make and worth the extra minutes to serve atop this light green bisque.
A duet of gazpacho is up next.
Black bean gazpacho. Gazpacho is perhaps the most common one that comes to mind when thinking about a chilled soup option. 
The mainstay ingredients typically include cucumber, tomato, peppers and onion, but this one has some of the usual suspects and some hearty additions. Those include cilantro, black beans and pinto beans and no oil is used, which makes this a heart smart version of the more common recipes. Beans help elevate this gazpacho to more of an entree status if you want to serve it as the centerpiece.
Watermelon Gazpacho. Oh yes, sweet and savory combine to make this a dish that your friends will demand that you share the recipe pronto.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Watermelon is bountiful and sweet right now and begs to be made into specialty dishes like this one. A daring rendition of its more common gazpacho cousin, featuring watermelon gives this chilled soup gourmet status, yet it is so simple to make you won’t believe that it isn’t found on menus everywhere. Some dicing, slicing, processing and voila, a few minutes later, you can turn out a dish that feels right at home with a fancy cocktail party or backyard gathering. Oh, right, let it chill first for a few hours even though the temptation is great to eat it immediately.
Summer squash and melon soup. Number four on our list of chilled soups to serve this holiday or anytime this summer is one that pairs unsuspecting partners, summer squash and cantaloupe.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Good friends in various places, these main two ingredients blend to make a superb puree with savory, sweet and heat high notes.
Chopping and simmering the squash to soften it is the longest part of the prep work. It still takes less than a half hour and the layers of flavor will make your guests think that you worked tirelessly to prepare this chilled soup delicacy for them.
Enjoy your fourth of July celebrations and be safe with family and friends.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: black bean gazpacho, chilled soup, chilled squash and melon soup, chilled sweet pea bisgue, compassionate eating, cooking with herbs, dairy free, gazpacho, Meatless Monday, Meatless Monday recipe, plant based diet, vegan entertaining, vegan experience, vegan recipe, vegan soup, vegan wannabe, vegetarian soup, Watermelon Gazpacho
