Blueberry Watermelon Gazpacho

INGREDIENTS:

* 5 cups seedless watermelon, finely chopped
* 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
* 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and drained
* 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (or fruit-infused vinegar)
* 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
* 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
* 1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
* Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
* 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced (slice when ready to serve)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Purée 4 cups of seedless watermelon, half of the cucumber, blueberries and vinegar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add jalapeño, red onion, yellow pepper and all but 1 tbsp of cilantro and run blender for a few more seconds to combine and purée.

2. Mix in remaining watermelon and cucumber. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Store in fridge for up to 5 hours, which enhances the flavors.

3. Garnish with remaining cilantro and slivers of avocado before serving.


NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:

* Calories: 197
* Total Fat: 8 g
* Sat. Fat: 1 g
* Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g
* Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
* Carbs: 32 g
* Fiber: 7 g
* Sugars: 20 g
* Protein: 4 g
* Sodium: 9.5 mg
* Cholesterol: 0 mg

NUTRITIONAL BONUS:

The sugar may be a bit high in this fruity gazpacho because of its abundant amounts of watermelon and blueberries, but these fruits also help it provide 127 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Plus, those blueberries are antioxidant superstars!