Mango-Avocado Gazpacho

I am so in love with this soup, I can hardly stand it.  It's like getting to drink a delicious mango smoothie combined with the fresh herbi-ness of salsa and the creamy mouth feel of guacamole.  I am probably not making a whole lot of sense here -- that's what love does to you.

Two words:  try this. 

Recipe is adapted from The Hot Flash Cookbook by Cathy Luchetti.

MANGO-AVOCADO GAZPACHO
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 whole green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. minced fresh parsley
1 T. minced fresh cilantro
1 large ripe avocado
juice of 2 limes (4 - 6 T.)
1 c. cold water
1/2 - 1 T. salt (to taste)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. sugar

Prepare first six ingredients (cucumbers through cilantro) and place in large bowl.  In separate bowl, smush up the avocado with the lime juice.  

Add avocado to the mango mixture; add rest of ingredients and stir together.  Working in batches, place a cup or two of the mixture in blender and blend away, to desired chunkiness.  Proceed until the whole batch is blended.

(Optional:  You can add 1 T. minced fresh basil, if you have it -- I didn't.)

Cover and refrigerate at least an hour to allow flavors to blend.  Serve cold.  Serves 4 - 6.