Gazpacho Garbanzo Bean Soup with a Twist

This past summer it was to hot to cook. I had tried Gazpacho soup at a friend's house; it was light, refreshing and filled with the tastes of summer but something was lacking. She had served it as a main meal but there was no other source of protein. Being a diabetic, this wasn't a good thing for me.

I had other recipes for Gazpacho soup but they called for chicken stock. Many of my friends were becoming vegetarians. If I decided to concoct a new recipe, I would wanted to take this into consideration. When my husband brought a large can of tomato juice home from the store by mistake, I decided it was fate.

I began my quest for the best Gazpacho Soup that I could toss together. It needed to be quick, easy and inexpensive. I wanted to be able to make it in the morning and not have to fuss with it the rest of the day. I like my Gazpacho to be a bit chunky but if you are in a hurry or prefer it to be smoother do your chopping in a blender. It will save time; my way I get to play with the knives. Here is the result of my effort.

Gazpacho Garbanzo Bean Soup with a Twist (serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (or one can black beans)
6 cups tomato juice
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium seedless cucumber chopped cup (approximately ½ cup)
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
¼ cup chopped basil leaves
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 t minced garlic (to save time I use the jarred type but the fresh is always better)
¼ cup real lime juice
1 packet Sazón Natural and Complete (or a different Sazón flavor packet)
2 fresh limes to cut into wedges to serve as a garnish with the soup

*Additional vegetables can be added to up the nutritional value. Suggestions for additional vegetables include: peppers, yellow tomatoes, scallions, celery or carrots. If you add more vegetables, you will want to add more tomato or vegetable juice.

Combine all ingredients in a non metal bowl and chill at least one hour. When ready to serve, ladle into preferably flanged chilled soup bowls with a lime to be twisted by the guest. I like to serve this with baked taco chips and pieces of cheddar cheese. For staunch vegetarians, I serve it with guacamole instead of the cheddar cheese.