Show the love with soup

I love cold fruit soups in the summertime -- I grew up eating my mother's blueberry soup, so cold fruit soup brings up happy memories of summer as a kid. If you're not a fan of cold fruit soups -- or you haven't tried them but think you wouldn't like them -- I say, give them another shot!

This soup is a variation on one that will be in my book. I made this batch for a friend and colleague at the magazine where I work -- sadly, she's being treated for cancer. But she has an amazing outlook, and along with her treatments she's adopted a largely vegan diet (with some exceptions, such as organic dairy products) and she's taking steps to reduce stress. She has a fantastic attitude and outlook -- it's really inspiring to see how strong and positive she is.

So for her soup I used organic wild blueberries, swapped agave nectar for sugar (and used less, because agave is sweeter than granulated sugar) and finished it with organic Greek yogurt. Give it a try! It's easy to put together and makes such a nice, refreshing end to a summer meal. Enjoy!

Blueberry Soup
Serves 4

1 lb. frozen organic wild blueberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch salt
1 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 cup 2% organic Greek yogurt (or you can use sour cream or creme fraiche, if you prefer)

1. Combine berries, agave, lemon juice, salt, wine and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and place over medium heat, stirring to mix all the ingredients together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a full boil, about 10 minutes. (Taste the soup and make sure it's sweet enough for you -- if not, add another tablespoon or 2 of agave, or a little sugar.)

2. When the mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick.

3. Carefully pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (or use a hand blender, if you have one). Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Stir soup, then whisk in yogurt, 1/4 cup at a time (you don't have to use it all -- start with 1/4 cup and whisk in until the soup looks and tastes good to you). Serve with an additional dollop of yogurt and some fresh berries on top, if desired.

Comments

[VeggieGirl]

Mmm, what a truly refreshing soup for the summertime!

Thank you so much for your comment on my blog - it meant a lot.

[Kenneth]

Your cold fruit soup sounds delicious and it will be a great dessert/appetizer for me under the radiant sun.

[StickyGooeyCreamyChewy]

This soup looks great! I love chilled soups, especially fruity ones. I made a strawberry soup a few weeks ago and loved it too.