Summer Harvest of Low-Calorie Cold Soups and Accompanying Salads

Foods that are both cool and refreshing are two menu musts during the hot weather months of summer. A soup and salad combination can bring needed relief to parched palates.

Almost everyone has a favorite recipe for cold soups like gazpacho and vichyssoise, and ideas for green, chicken and fruit salads have probably been exhausted by now.

Offered here is a selection of low-calorie soups and salads, each made new and different with seasonal favorites like seedless grapes, summer squash, cucumbers and avocados. The ease and convenience of canned condensed soups is a shortcut any cook will appreciate.

Bounty of Vitamins, Minerals

The soup recipes offer a bounty of vitamins and minerals since each is a delicate puree of fruits or vegetables. Combine any of these cold soups with Deviled Lentil Salad, a hearty mixture of lentils, mushrooms and other vegetables in a tasty vinegar and mustard dressing. Or, if a low-calorie meal is desired, choose Cucumbers in Yogurt.

Although gazpacho is traditionally red with tomatoes, our White Grape Gazpacho is equally pleasing. White Grape Gazpacho features a blend of seedless grapes, so abundant right now, chicken broth, garlic, vinegar and pureed almonds. Dilled Squash Soup takes advantage of another product of summer’s harvest, crookneck squash. It is teamed with onion, carrot, dill weed and chicken stock. Other offerings include Chilled Spinach Soup, Summertime Bean Soup and Carrot-Ginger Soup.

CHILLED SPINACH SOUP

1/3 cup low-fat milk

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1 pound spinach

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup minced green onions

1/4 cup minced parsley

3 tablespoons Sherry

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

Combine milk and yogurt in blender container and whir 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Trim and wash spinach. Drain to remove excess water. Combine in skillet with butter, green onions, parsley and Sherry. Cook until spinach is tender.

Place in blender or food processor with dill and chicken bouillon. Process until pureed. Cool, stir in milk-yogurt mixture and chill. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 133 calories; 6 gm protein; 10 gm carbohydrate; 7 gm fat; 305 mg sodium; 689 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 10% Riboflavin 21% Vitamin A 201% Niacin 04% Vitamin C 115% Calcium 20% Thiamine 10% Iron 22%

DILLED SQUASH SOUP

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 pound crookneck squash, cubed

1 (13 3/4-ounce) can chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Combine milk and yogurt in blender and whir 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Saute onion and carrot in butter in large saucepan 10 minutes. Add squash, stock and dill and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly.

Puree in blender or food processor. Stir in 1 cup milk-yogurt mixture. Chill, ladle into soup bowls and spoon remaining milk-yogurt mixture into center. Garnish with additional dill, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 155 calories; 8 gm protein; 15 gm carbohydrate; 8 gm fat; 724 mg sodium; 570 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 12% Riboflavin 17% Vitamin A 93% Niacin 11% Vitamin C 45% Calcium 17% Thiamine 07% Iron 10%

WHITE GRAPE GAZPACHO

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cups seedless grapes

1 cup blanched, sliced almonds

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine broth, water, 1 cup grapes, blanched almonds, oil, vinegar and garlic in blender container. Process on medium speed until almonds are finely ground. Pour mixture through fine strainer. Refrigerate soup mixture several hours. Blend or stir well before serving. Serve with remaining grapes and garnish with toasted almonds. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 244 calories; 5 gm protein; 14 gm carbohydrate; 20 gm fat; 308 mg sodium; 303 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 08% Riboflavin 12% Vitamin A 01% Niacin 07% Vitamin C 04% Calcium 06% Thiamine 05% Iron 09%

SUMMERTIME BEAN SOUP

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped leeks

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (16-ounce) can pork and beans in tomato sauce

1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon chervil

1/2 bay leaf, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 teaspoon tarragon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup low-fat milk

Heat butter in medium saucepan until melted. Add leeks and onion to pan and saute 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, chervil, bay leaf, salt, dill, tarragon and pepper. Simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Process mixture in blender or food processor, few cups at a time, until smooth. Gradually blend in milk. Chill at least 4 hours before serving. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 180 calories; 8 gm protein; 23 gm carbohydrate; 7 gm fat; 969 mg sodium; 472 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 13% Riboflavin 07% Vitamin A 19% Niacin 08% Vitamin C 29% Calcium 09% Thiamine 08% Iron 14%

CARROT-GINGER SOUP

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped carrots

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup low-fat milk

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon honey

1 carrot

Heat butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute chopped carrots and ginger until tender. Stir in soup, milk, water and honey. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.

Blend soup in blender container at medium speed until smooth. Refrigerate several hours. Cut carrot into curls and serve as garnish with chilled soup. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 185 calories; 5 gm protein; 18 gm carbohydrate; 11 gm fat; 762 mg sodium; 437 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 08% Riboflavin 12% Vitamin A 189% Niacin 05% Vitamin C 12% Calcium 13% Thiamine 05% Iron 05%

DEVILED LENTIL SALAD

1 cup uncooked lentils

1 quart water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 small green pepper, cut in chunks

1 small tomato, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon crushed coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 drops hot pepper sauce

Salad greens

Combine lentils, water and 1 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Boil, uncovered, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Combine lentils with mushrooms, green onions, parsley, green pepper, tomato and garlic.

Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, vegetable oil, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, coriander, oregano, soy sauce and hot pepper sauce in jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake well, then pour over salad. Chill 3 hours, stirring once or twice. Spoon vegetables over crisp salad greens and serve. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 207 calories; 9 gm protein; 22 gm carbohydrate; 10 gm fat; 640 mg sodium; 414 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 14% Riboflavin 09% Vitamin A 11% Niacin 07% Vitamin C 49% Calcium 04% Thiamine 11% Iron 15%

CUCUMBERS IN YOGURT

1 cup plain yogurt

1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon dried mint

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, salt and garlic. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 40 calories; 2 gm protein; 6 gm carbohydrate; 1 gm fat; 167 mg sodium; 201 mg potassium.

USRDA

Protein 04% Riboflavin 08% Vitamin A 01% Niacin 01% Vitamin C 14% Calcium 08% Thiamine 03% Iron 01%