Zucchini and Avocado Chilled Soup with Cucumber Salsa - 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• Soup
• 2 medium zucchini (~3 cups) - pealed and chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions - thinly sliced
• 1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 medium avocado (~3/4 cup - peeled, and diced
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• ground Pepper to taste
• Salsa
• 1 1/2 cups cucumber (~1 large) - peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 cup scallions
• 1/4 cup fresh cliantro - chopped
• 1 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

• Soup
• combine zucchini, greens onions, and broth in a large saucepan; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat; cool 30 minutes.
• In a blender/food processor place lime juice, salt, zucchini mixture, avocado, buttermilk, and cumin and process until smooth.
• Refrigerate for one hour or until chilled.
• Salsa
• Combine all ingredients, toss, cover and chill for one hour or until chilled.

Summer Strawberry Cake - 10 Servings

http://www.onceuponachef.com/2014/07/summer-strawberry-cake.html
By Jennifer Segal, modestly adapted from Martha Stewart Living (June 2005), via Karen Tannenbaum

Servings: One 9-inch cake, 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk (low fat is fine)
• About 3/4 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch deep dish pie pan or 9-inch square cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be very thick.)
4. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula (if you use a square cake pan, the batter will only come about 3/4-inch up the sides of the pan -- that's ok). Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down, so that they completely cover the batter (the recipe calls for approximately 3/4 pound of strawberries; use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.
5. Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
6. Note: Cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.

Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies - Makes 18-20

Adapted from shelikesfood.com

Difficulty: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c all-purpose white flour**
• ¼ c whole wheat flour**

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 c packed brown sugar
• ½ c granulated sugar
• 1 c mashed avocado, about 2 avocados
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (10 oz)

*Optional: 1 c chopped pistachios or other nuts

**For gluten free cookies, replace all flours with 1¼ c of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl and set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, combine both sugars and the mashed avocado. Beat until creamy, about 30 seconds (I used an electric mixer). 
4. Add eggs (one by one) and beat, then add vanilla and beat again.
5. Add flour mixture in two batches, mixing well between each. 
6. Using a spoon, mix in chocolate chips (and pistachios) until combined. 
7. Drop mixture in rounded tablespoons (you could also do rounded teaspoons for smaller cookies) onto a non-greased cookie sheet. 
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.