The last supper

As I blogged about here and here, during my maternity leave I have been participating in a food share with two other nearby mat leave mamas, Kate and Julie. Every Wednesday one of us was responsible for giving a family meal to each of the other two moms....as a result, we each only had to cook once every three Wednesdays. GENIUS! It worked brilliantly - the rules were simply to cook wholesome, inexpensive meals.

With summer vacations and wonky schedules upon us, we have ended our little food share and last night we had our last meal from Julie: a delicious and refreshing tomato cucumber gazpacho with grilled chicken and whole wheat baguette.

Our food share is one of the things I've been so grateful for on this maternity leave. It has inspired me to cook new recipes and given me the opportunity to enjoy meals from two other amazing chefs.

Food share, RIP! You were fantastic while you lasted!

UPDATE: Julie sent me the recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food!!

Tomato Gazpacho with Chicken
serves 4 • active time: 20 min • total time: 20 min + chilling

2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, quartered
1 small piece stale bread, crust removed, torn (1/4 cup)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 English cucumber, cut into pieces
1 serrano chile, seeded
1 clove garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
salt and pepper
reserved chicken breasts, shredded

1 In batches, in a blender, puree tomatoes, bread, and 4 tablespoons oil. Add cucumber, chile, garlic, and vinegar to taste; blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to 2 days).

2 Divide soup among four bowls, top with chicken, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and serve.

per serv: 384 cal; 21 g fat (4 g sat fat); 30 g protein; 20 g carb; 4 g fiber