Chillest Zucchini-Basil Soup w/Sunflower Dukkah

If you’ve been following me along on IG lately, you know that I’ve been talking a lot about just how HOT IT IS UP IN HERE. But I’m not just talking about the climate.

If we want to live balanced lives, in balanced bodies, we have to check the weather – the weather inside our bodies, and in the outside world too. And when I say that it’s been hot, I mean that the heat of summer, and my schedule, and the way that’s impacted my body as well.

As athletes, we’re kinda always turning up the heat. Especially, in the middle of the summer when it’s prime time for doing all of our favorite activities. Literally, the extra heat and activity of summertime play can fan the flames within, making us a little uncomfortable, and can lower our performance in sport + life: if we don’t release some of that heat (or cool off completely and deeply,) it can start to cause problems for us.

 

There are lots of cues that my body/life give me to let me know that I’m running it too hot. My schedule is jam-packed. I’m constantly moving or doing. I notice that I don’t sleep as deeply, or I wake up in the middle of the night. Sometimes my skin starts to act up, my digestion gets a little loose or inconsistent. Sometimes I start feeling bloaty. And I start to feel tired. Like, really blown. And none of that feels great – especially when this season (in my mind,) is all about flitting around, adventuring and feeling footloose and fancy-free.

 

Luckily, there are a few things I can do to slow my roll, and ice down my body from the inside out. Plucking a few of the extra things out of my calendar is one of them. Taking an extra day off the bike is another, or moving my workouts to the pool. And, making a cool soup like this to enjoy for lunch (or dinner) when the day is at its peak.

The rules of cool food.

Yes, there are rules to eating cooling food.

 

And, surprise, foods that cool our constitutions down are NOT always cold. In fact, some cold foods actually just stand to heat us up even more, while room temperature foods may be just the ticket. (Whack, I know.) For example, ice water…it may lower your core temperature, but your body will still have to heat up to bring it to body temp which is (you guessed it,) heating not cooling. Raw vegetables sound cool and refreshing because, raw, right? These veggies take a lot of effort for our bodies to break down, especially when the body’s attention is on keeping cool and – yes, these can be aggravating and heating as well.

 

The biggest rule is (drumroll) remembering that each and every ingredient is unique – not all foods are created equally. Don’t forget that flavors are very important, and that balance doesn’t come from food alone. If we’re feeling hot and bothered, it’s important to change both what we eat + slow our roll a little bit too.

Staying balanced through the summer.

To stay balanced through the heat, enjoy lots of sweet, bitter and astringent foods that are gently cooked or raw and very simply seasoned. Herbs, juicy sweet fruits, fresh leafy greens, water-dense vegetables, and in-season produce are all good bets.  Like:

• butter lettuce
• spring mix
• mint, basil, dill, coriander, thyme
• zucchini
• cucumbers
• watermelon, cantaloupe, and other melons
• peaches, plums, nectarines, berries
• tomatoes (with the seeds removed – they’re very acidic!)
• avocado, coconut, oats, rice,
• corn
• fresh cheeses
• carrots, beets, radishes and turnips, but cook them first!
• spinach, chard and kale – give these a little sauté before enjoying!
• less oily nuts such as sunflower seeds, flax seeds, coconut and pumpkin seeds (this isn’t necessarily the time for big slathers of cashew butter!)

Tips for tending the FIRE:

Maybe you, like me, are already feeling a few of these firey effects. And so, it’s important to minimize overly salty, spicy, oily or fried foods, pungent or very sour flavors. Which…are some of the things I crave most when I’m playing a lot. These are items on my favorites list that I really have to keep in check:

• nuts and nut butter
• potato chips (gah! I love these after a ride!)
• burgers and fries (again!)
• Thai food and other spicy cuisines
• lemonade and lemon water

A few practices that I try to remember as I’m eating my way through the best time of the year:

• Infuse it: Instead of chugging ice-cold water, I often infuse water with mint, or cucumber or even rose water to room temperature water to keep it refreshing, without making my body crank up the heat to bring it to body temp.
• Fruit diet…with a catch: Summer is the season of fruits…so I aim to overeat them ALL! However, fruits can be pretty difficult to digest when consumed with other foods. The reason: fruits are very high in natural sugars, and digest quickly. Other foods that are less high in those natural sugars digest more slowly (think fiber, fat, and protein.) And so, the fruits act as an accident on the highway of your gut, causing a backup of traffic (which is usually a bit uncomfortable in the form of gas, bloating, or incomplete digestion.) To keep my system running smoothly, I enjoy my fruits alone as a snack or light breakfast.
• Careful of the salads: I LOVE a salad.  So, I aim to eat it for lunch when your digestive fire is highest. Then, gently cook my veggies for dinner (a perfect reason to fire up the grill!)

And so, this lovely chill soup.

This soup is a great example of all the things that will keep your summer – inside and outside – chill. The ingredients here are all guaranteed to super-boost the good vibes; they’re cooling and calming for the mind and body and capitalize on all the things in the garden and market right now. I love this recipe because it comes together quickly, it travels well for busy days when I’ll need to picnic away from home, is delicious when I toss some steamed rice or quinoa in, and it’s literally like a life preserver for my body on a hot day.

 

The Sunflower Seed Dukkah is the same. A lovely little sprinkle of spices and textures to give this smooth soup some intrigue. I keep a jar on the countertop, and add a little sprinkle to whatever I’m eating to keep things interesting, crunchy, and to add a bit of digestive spice (but not too much!)