Quinoa-Nectarine Gazpacho with Crispy Spiced Tortilla Strips

Quinoa-Nectarine Gazpacho
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
30 mins
Chill Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
7 cups

Ingredients

  • cup quinoa

  • cup water

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 3 cup coarsely chopped nectarines or peeled peaches (about 4 medium)

  • 1 small ripe avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped cucumber*

  • ¼ cup lime juice

  • 2 tablespoon chopped red onion or green onion

  • 2 tablespoon snipped fresh mint and/or cilantro

  • 1 fresh jalapeño pepper**, seeded and finely chopped

  • 1 12 ounce bottle ginger beer

  • 1 cup pineapple juice

  • Mexican crema or sour cream (optional)

  • 1 recipe Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips

Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • ½ teaspoon chili powder

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3 7 inch flour tortillas

  • Salt

Directions

  1. In a colander rinse quinoa well; drain. In a small saucepan bring water and salt to boiling. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and discard any excess water; set quinoa aside to cool.

  2. Place nectarines in a large bowl. If desired, mash some of the pieces slightly with a potato masher. Gently stir in cooled quinoa, the avocado, cucumber, lime juice, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 6 hours.

  3. To serve, stir ginger beer and pineapple juice into nectarine mixture. Ladle soup into bowls. If desired, top with crema. Garnish with Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips.

Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl combine oil, chili powder, and cinnamon. Brush oil mixture evenly over tortillas. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Roll up each tortilla and slice crosswise into long thin strips. If desired, cut strips in half. Spread strips on a baking sheet. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Use immediately or store in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

*Tip:

If desired, peel cucumber before chopping.

**Tip:

Because hot chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

168 Calories
5g Fat
29g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 168
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 241mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 12.4mg 62%
Calcium 40.4mg 3%
Iron 1.6mg 9%
Potassium 310mg 7%
Folate, total 36.3mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.1mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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