Summer Gazpacho with Shrimp

With both the summer heat AND a new baby, I really don’t want to be slaving away over a hot stove these days. Now, more than ever, I am going for quick and easy meals that satisfy.

Because I’m breastfeeding, I am SO HUNGRY ALL THE TIME….like, it’s insane how hungry I get. I like to prep easy meals and snacks for the upcoming week over the weekend when Adam is home and can help watch Grayson while I spend a little time in the kitchen. Bless everyone that ever took a new mom dinner! There was absolutely no way I had time to cook a meal during the first two months. Heck, it’s still really hard and we’re still eating our way through the freezer! At one point around the 6pm fussy hour, I looked at Adam and said, “I really don’t think I’ll ever have time to cook ever again.” Well, I still don’t have time to cook like I used to but I’m getting there, slowly but surely.

For those busy evenings, whether you’re a new mom or not, this summer gazpacho is the answer.

This is one of the recipes I developed recently for the Barre3 blog so you know it’s on the healthy side. 😉 I know I rave about Barre3 all the time on here but I have to give it one more prop as a new mom.

I’ve just started doing the online workouts again postpartum and it’s been such a life savor. Truly truly. I can’t rave enough. I had a tough delivery and feel like I pretty much lost every bit of my core. Over the past few months I’ve had a lot of backaches as a result. The Barre3 workouts have really helped with that by working to strengthen those back body muscles again! Naturally, my body isn’t the same as it used to be but it’s not meant to be. I pushed a nine pound child out! Plus, I have to keep my calories up to feed him. I don’t do the workouts to lose a ton of weight, but rather to strengthen those muscles that have become super weak — and they work!

Okay, off my soapbox for the day.

This soup combines a fantastic serving of veggies with ample lean protein from shrimp. I could eat shrimp every day and be a happy camper – I love them so. It’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes great. I hope y’all like it as much as I do!

Summer Gazpacho with Shrimp

serves 4

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Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced

1/2 small red onion, minced

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cups tomato juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

16 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

First, make the gazpacho. Combine all ingredients except for shrimp in a high speed blender or food processor. Whirl until just blended. Taste gazpacho and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Place in the fridge while you prepare the shrimp.

For the shrimp, heat up two tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the shrimp and briefly saute until pink and curled. This will take only about 4 minutes since shrimp cook so fast. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

To serve, ladle gazpacho into bowls and top with four sauteed shrimp.

Time:

15 minutes