The festive season is upon us, which for some means spending more time in the kitchen cooking.
As a chef and nutritionist, this is a favourite time of year for me because being in the kitchen and cooking for loved ones is something that brings me a lot of joy and allows me to be creative.
Aside from cooking with fresh and vibrant produce, having the right kitchen equipment can make or break the finished dish and also whether cooking is seamless and fun or a source of frustration!
A key piece of equipment I use is the KitchenAid K400 blender because as a wholefood chef, it has the right amount of power to handle the tough ingredients I cook with such as nuts and raw veggies. This means no lumpy purees or ice chunks in smoothies!
Functionality is not just a factor when it comes to cooking equipment but so too is the design. This is because, we truly do eat with our eyes first and cooking utensils and equipment can stimulate excitement for what’s to come. I love the vibrant and versatile colour range of the K400 blender and red is absolutely perfect for this time of year.
To see for yourself how well the K400 blender can take recipes to the next level, here I am sharing the recipe for my Tomato Gazpacho Soup with Avocado Salsa using the KitchenAid K400 blender, enjoy!
Tomato Gazpacho Soup with Avocado Salsa (pictured above)
Serves 4
Pre: 10min
Cook: nil
Ingredients
Soup
600g ripe tomatoes, core removed, chopped
2 small red capsicum, seeds removed, chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
2-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 shallot onion, peeled and chopped
½ bunch basil, chopped
1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup bone broth, cooled (or stock using 1 tbsp. miso to 1 cup hot water)
pinch pink Murray river salt and pepper, to taste
½ tsp. cumin, ground
¼ tsp. fennel seeds
½ tsp. coriander, ground
Avocado Salsa
1 ripe avocado, skin and pip removed, finely diced
2 tbsp. pistachios, finely chopped
2 tbsp. finely chopped basil
1 tbsp. lime juice
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Method
To make the avocado salsa, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste. Set aside in the fridge until needed.
To make the soup, add all ingredients into your KitchenAid K400 blender, except the bone broth. Blend the ingredients and add a little bit of broth at a time, until the right consistency is reached, season to taste.
Let chill in the fridge if time permits.
To serve, pour into shot glasses and top each with avocado salsa and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
