Recipe: Josiah's Simple Gazpacho

Jess and I stuck to a raw diet for a few week period. We've gone back to cooking some of our foods, but our brief raw experiment allowed me the opportunity to make one of my favorite soups that I usually only make in the hottest months of summer. This gazpacho, we found, is just as tasty even in the chilly months of winter!

Ingredients:

5 medium tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 medium cucumber, finely diced
1 large carrot, grated
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin
3-4 dashes hot sauce
3-4 drops liquid smoke (optional)

Cut the tomatoes into large pieces (knife precision will not matter on the tomatoes). Place the tomato and garlic into a high speed blender and blend until silky smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour for the flavors to meld together.  Serve and enjoy!