Servings: 6 Prep: 15 mins Cook: 0 mins Total: 15 mins
I don’t know why, but somehow this feels like a weird spiritual nod to Ina Garten. She has such a calm and smooth presence. I picture eating something like this in her backyard on a warm, sunny, weekend day. She doesn’t know I’m there, of course, but …
… that’s an entirely different story!
There’s somewhat of a hierarchy when it comes to fruits. So many low-carbers are intimidated by the idea of fruit, and while I’d definitely suggest staying away from a really ripe banana, some fruits are absolutely fine! People usually begin slowly adding berries into their way of eating. This is usually followed by layering in a bit of melon!
In this case, I’ve got a chilled summer melon soup, which is incredibly easy to make. I’ve also added a touch of cucumber (a relative of the melon) to add some dimension, reduce the carbs and lend a bit of texture. This refreshing soup is then topped with a small dollop of Greek yogurt and mint!
Melon Safety: One of the largest sources of foodborne illnesses stem from melons. It’s not because there is anything wrong with the melon, or that the inside of the melon has bacteria, it’s that melons grow in the dirt, where they are harvested and transported, finally being purchased by you, taken home, cut and eaten. The issue is related to the surface of the melon. If it is not very well cleaned, a knife travelling through the melon will carry all the bacteria on the surface, right through the newly cut flesh. ALWAYS wash your melons before cutting them. It will save you!
Chilled Melon & Cucumber Soup
Print RateIngredients
- 1 each lemon
- 2 each english cucumbers
- 3 cups casaba melon cubes (or most any other melon)
- 2 tbsp 'Swerve' or other sugar replacement
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt plain and full fat
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves sliced thin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- With a vegetable peeler, peel a thin strip of yellow lemon zest off the outside of the lemon. You want a thin piece about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide. Chop this very finely. Set aside. Juice the lemon. Also set this aside.
- Cut a 2 inch section out of the center of one of the cucumbers and cut it into small pieces, about the size of a pencil eraser. Set aside.
- Peel the rest of the cucumber, cut it into rough pieces and place in a blender, along with the melon cubes, sweetener, lemon juice and a dash of salt. Puree until smooth.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the yoghurt with the lemon zest, cucumber dice and half of the mint slices.
- Pour the soup into 6 bowls, garnishing each bowl with a nice dollop of cucumber yoghurt and finally, dust with the remaining mint slices. Serve!
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* Learn More: More about this recipe and nutrition …
EVERY TIME I slice into a melon, I rinse off the knife before making another slice or before using the knife on the fruit inside.
Unknown, a great precaution, in addition to washing the melon. Thank you!