Weight Watchers Quick & Easy Chunky Gazpacho

WW Recipe of the Day: Quick and Easy Gazpacho

I love gazpacho, especially during the summer, but I don’t make it very often, probably because Rod’s not a big fan, and if the quality of your tomatoes is anything less than terrific, the results can be disappointing.

That’s where this quick and easy chunky gazpacho comes in.

I first heard about it during a WW meeting I was subbing, when our receptionist shared it with the group, but then it totally slipped my mind, until I came across it while thumbing through one of my latest cookbook acquisitions: the Weight Watchers PointPlus Power Foods Cookbook (affiliate link).

There it was right before my very eyes: the quick and easy chunky gazpacho recipe she’d mentioned.

I thought it would be perfect for this week’s 38 Power Foods Group ingredient: tomatoes.

Our little group continues to chug along on our mission to blog our way through the ingredients featured in Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link) by Martha Stewart and the editors of Whole Living Magazine.

What gives tomatoes their “power food” status?

Tomatoes contain lots of vitamin C and beta-carotene; as well as a good amount of iron, potassium, fiber, and B vitamins. But it’s the antioxidant, lycopene , that seems to provide the biggest health benefits. Because lycopene is located in the cell walls, you get more lycopene from processed or cooked tomatoes than you do from fresh ones.

So, while locally grown fresh tomatoes available at the peak of summer will always be a healthy tasty choice, canned tomatoes (as well as tomato juice, tomato soup, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, jarred salsa, and even ketchup) are delicious and healthy alternatives the rest of the year.

Recipe Notes

This quick and easy chunky gazpacho is a great example of just how yummy recipes made from canned tomatoes and tomato vegetable juice can be. I substituted Spicy V8 for low-sodium and skipped the jalapeño (because I didn’t have one).

I also used sherry vinegar instead of balsamic, because I love it and it seemed more traditional, but I’m sure any vinegar would be fine.

Studies have shown the more often you eat soup, the more likely you are to lose weight because it helps you feel fuller on fewer calories. This is a great example of that research in action.

How Many Calories and WW Points in Simple Chunky Gazpacho?

According to my calculations, each generous 1-1/2-cup serving has just 68 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

1 SmartPoints (Green plan)
1 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
1 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
1 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Recipe Variations

• Spicier
  Add more chopped jalapeño, cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
• Heartier
  Top with any of the following—cooked shrimp or crab, croutons, chopped avocado, crumbled feta cheese, etc.
• Moroccan
  Add rinsed and drained chickpeas, cumin and chopped golden raisins.
• Southwestern
  Add cumin, cilantro and lime juice.

If you’ve made this Low Fat Gazpacho, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Source: Weight Watchers PointsPlus Power Foods Cookbook (affiliate link)

Links to More Weight Watchers Friendly Tomato Recipes:

• Weight Watchers Pico de Gallo (Fresh Tomato Salsa) – Simple-Nourished-Living
• Weight Watchers Chicken, Tomato and Feta Pasta – Simple-Nourished-Living
• Tomatoes, Basil and Brown Rice – Simple-Nourished-Living
• Heirloom Tomato Salad – SkinnyTaste
• BLT Pasta Salad – Kitchen Parade
• Tomato and Sausage Risotto – Emily Bites
• Sauteed Cauliflower and Tomatoes – Weight Watchers
• Shrimp with Zucchini and Tomatoes – Weight Watchers

Sources:

• World’s Healthiest Foods
• Tomato Dirt
• Kitchen Stewardship