Diabetic Recipes

Watermelon Gazpacho

Adapted from the The Golden Door Cookbook by Michael Stroot (Broadway Books)
(makes 6 servings)

1 cup thinly sliced peeled and seeded cucumber, 2 1/2 ounces (75 g)
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) kosher salt
6 cups cubed and seeded watermelon, from about 2 1/4 pounds (1080 g) melon
1/2 cup (120 ml) cranberry juice cocktail
1 4 1/2-ounce (135 g) red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 4-ounce (120 g) red onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, 2 ounces (60 g), diced
1/4 cup (15 g) minced flat-leaf parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) sherry or white wine vinegar
6 fresh mint leaves
  1. In a small bowl, combine the cucumber and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a food processor or blender, combine the watermelon and cranberry juice cocktail. Pulse briefly, until just blended. Do not overprocess 3/4 the soup will be frothy and pale. Pour through a sieve, set over a bowl, and press on the pulp to extract all of the juice. Discard the pulp.
  3. Stir the bell pepper, onion, celery, parsley, lime juice, and vinegar into the watermelon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill and allow flavors to blend.
  4. Rinse the cucumber slices and pat dry with paper towels.
  5. Ladle the soup into chilled bowls and garnish with the cucumber slices and sprigs of mint.
Per serving: 79 calories (8% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 1 g total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 94 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (1 fruit)