Zesty Zucchini, Spinach, & Avocado Soup

It has been really hot lately here in SW Florida. The temperatures and humidity have been raising weekly and in fact I find that I need to get up earlier so I can get out of the house to exercise before the heat of the day becomes overwhelming. I usually juice raw veggies and fruits twice a day, and enjoy a salad or bowl of soup for lunch. While I still enjoy salads for lunch, I find that my usual vegetable soups that I serve warm simply no longer interest me. I have begun to blend raw vegetables and fresh herbs into flavorful soups that I can serve cold or at room temperature. This soup contains zucchini, spinach, and avocado that are blended into a creamy rich soup. Fresh basil and mint add an herbal fragrance, chili pepper adds a little heat, and orange and lemon juice add a little sweetness and citrus notes.

The avocado adds healthy fat to the soup which helps to satiate you and in fact keeps you full for hours. To garnish this soup, you can use sweet pepper rings and green onions as I have, or a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt.

• Spinach can claim a special place among vegetables in terms of its phytonutrient content. Most of the flavonoid and carotenoid nutrients found in spinach that provide anti-inflammatory benefits provide antioxidant benefits as well.
• Spinach is also an excellent source of other antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and manganese, as well as a very good source of the antioxidant zinc and a good source of the antioxidant selenium.
• Zucchini is high in fiber, water, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium which boost your immune system and promote the health of your heart, skin, lungs and eyes.
• Avocados provide nearly 20 essential vitamins and minerals: potassium, folic acid and other B-vitamins, as well as vitamins E and K. They also contain phytonutrients, believed to help prevent many chronic diseases.
• Avocados contain the mono- and polyunsaturated “good” fats that are recommended as part of a healthy diet.