I love summer and since I’ve moved to Miami I’ve sort of lost track of the seasons. We really only have two seasons here, and they’re mostly identified as the “wet” season and the “windy” season. It’s always hot and when it’s not raining it’s sunny. So for the past few months I’ve been referring to summer as if it were already here, only to realize it hadn’t begun yet!
Now that it’s officially here I can claim: hooray for summer! The main reason I love summer is because of all the fruit that comes out. I love eating fruit (as if you didn’t already know this) but I also love playing with it and incorporating it into my meals in different, savory ways.
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The easiest way to do this is by using an 801010 approach. This diet usually relies heavily on fruits and then incorporates different veggies to compliment the fruit. Think: romaine, cucumbers, zucchini, celery and loads of bananas, dates, mangos, etc.
Which works for me because I love all of these things.
One thing I’ve noticed is that mango works exceptionally well in the place of savory items like dressings and soups. It is a sticky sweet that is undeniably good but also holds together well, providing a nice and thick consistency. It carries other flavors well, also, like various spices and herbs. Cilantro and cumin come to mind when I’m thinking about mango.
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So it’s not uncommon for 801010ers to use mango as the base of something spectacular. This entire line of thought is really what inspired this dish. It’s meant to be a savory dish but the mango carries the flavor to a whole new level. It pairs beautifully with the tomato and zucchini, here.
And did I mention this soup only has 3 ingredients??
If ever there were an excuse that being raw is too hard, too expensive, or too time consuming then meals like this will quickly dispel those excuses. This takes about 10 minutes to make, depending on how efficient you are at peeling and chopping … 😉
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Though this is my own variation of a mango-tomato soup, I got the idea from Ellen Fisher. She is the cutest raw foodie with the most adorable family. Yes, I gathered all of this information from her Instagram but, no, I’m not (entirely) a creeper.
I used fewer mangos and skipped the cilantro. I also added zucchini to the base. And then this magnificent meal was born.
It is perfect for this unbearable tropical heat we have now that it is “summer” here, it digests quickly and easily, and gives such a boost in my energy levels since it’s a pure source of carbohydrates and natural sugar. Mango is also known as a “cooling” food in Ayurveda so as someone that “overheats” easily (a Pitta dosha) and also living in a very hot and tropical climate … this is just perfect!!
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Mango Tomato Cold Soup:
a recipe
1 mango, cubed
1 tomato, cubed
1 zucchini
Put the mango and about 3/4 of the tomato into the blender. Use half the zucchini for garnish and the other half (cubed) into the blender. Add just a splash of water to facilitate blending and the blend until smooth. Shred the zucchini and use as garnish. That’s it!!
If you’re like my SO then you may want to double (or triple) the amount you use. It’s not uncommon for people to use 3-4 large mangoes at a time, or 8-10 small mangoes. Use what works for you!
It is just perfect. Mmm. I enjoyed it here for an afternoon lunch.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!!
xo
