LIGHT STYLE : Soup Without the Salt

One of the biggest problems with commercials soups is salt--there’s usually too much of it. But when you make your own soup you control what goes in it. In this gazpacho recipe, for instance, you add no salt. Instead, the flavor comes from garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro and green pepper. You’ll get better results if you make the chicken stock yourself; if you use canned, be sure it’s low-sodium.

GAZPACHO ANDALUZ

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut up

1 small onion, cut-up

4 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut-up

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup chicken stock, low-sodium if canned

2 cups low-sodium vegetable cocktail juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

Combine cut-up cucumber and onion, and tomatoes, garlic, stock, vegetable juice, lemon juice, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in blender container and blend until coarsely chopped. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Place chopped parsley, onion, cucumber, cilantro and green pepper in small individual bowls. Place gazpacho in chilled serving bowl on table and surround with condiments. Ladle soup into chilled bowls and let each diner add condiments as desired. Makes 6 servings.

Each 3/4 cup serving contains about:

35 calories; 40 milligram sodium; 0 cholesterol; trace fat; 12 grams carbohydrate; 0 protein; trace fiber; negligible calories from fat.

Exchanges: 1 vegetable.