This Week’s Garden Harvest: Summer Harvest Gazpacho with Okra Croutons

Featuring air-fried okra “croutons” and healing herbs that turn imperfect produce into nutritional gold

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My tomatoes this week are having an identity crisis. Between the heat stress, irregular watering (thanks, Georgia summer!), and what I can only describe as “rustic charm,” these black beauty tomatoes are definitely not winning any beauty contests. Have you ever seen an uglier tomato?

But I’m not exaggerating when I tell you, this was the BEST tomato I’ve ever eaten. Sometimes the ugliest tomatoes make the most delicious gazpacho!

This week’s recipe is all about embracing imperfection and turning it into something extraordinary. When life gives you wonky-looking tomatoes, just pulverize them into a pulp! Add some crispy air-fried okra as “croutons,” a handful of specialty herbs from the garden, and suddenly you have a restaurant-quality dish that celebrates the best of summer’s harvest.

And I’ll be honest, I initially worried that this week’s recipe was going to be a little underwhelming. I mean, it’s a cold soup. Isn’t that just salsa with a little attitude?

Plus, every single ingredient in this bowl is working overtime to support your health. Let me show you how to turn garden “rejects” into functional medicine in a bowl.

The Functional Medicine Benefits: Why This Bowl Heals

Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about why these ingredients are absolute powerhouses for your health:

Tomatoes: Lycopene for Cellular Protection

Even my aesthetically-challenged tomatoes are packed with lycopene, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. This carotenoid gives tomatoes their red color and provides serious anti-inflammatory benefits. Lycopene is particularly protective against cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Fun fact: heating tomatoes actually increases the bioavailability of lycopene, so when you add your tomatoes into a warm soup when it’s not 1000 degrees, you’re getting even more of a health boost.

Okra: The Gut Health Superhero

Here’s why I’m obsessed with okra – it’s one of the best mucilaginous foods you can eat. That slightly “slimy” quality that people are less thrilled about? That’s mucilage, and it’s pure magic for your digestive system. Mucilage helps support the mucosal layer that houses your beneficial gut bacteria, acting as both a protective barrier and a prebiotic food source. It’s like giving your microbiome a warm hug from the inside.

Tomatillos: Vitamin C and Antioxidant Powerhouse

These tangy little gems are loaded with vitamin C and unique antioxidants that support immune function and reduce inflammation. They also contain compounds that may help regulate blood sugar levels. The beauty of the rainbow heirloom blend you’ll find in your recipe kit is more than just pretty colors. That’s a powerhouse of polyphenols that act as powerful antioxidants to support your wellbeing.

While heating tomatoes increases the lycopene content, it’s not ideal to only eat cooked tomatoes because heat damages the delicate vitamin C molecule. That’s another reason this recipe is so powerful. With school starting back, that extra dose of vitamin C is sure to offer some extra immune protection.

Cucumbers: Hydration and Anti-Inflammatory Support

Cucumbers are nature’s way of keeping you cool and hydrated. They’re rich in silica, which supports healthy skin and joints, plus they provide gentle anti-inflammatory compounds.

Fresh Herbs: Concentrated Medicine

Each herb brings its own therapeutic properties – basil contains compounds that support stress resilience, thyme has antimicrobial properties, and oregano provides microbiome support. When you eat this blend of herbs, you’re essentially consuming a pharmacy of plant medicines.

Garden Gazpacho with Air-Fried Okra “Croutons”

Serves 2 as a side – Pair with a protein of your choice!

Ingredients:

For the Gazpacho:

• 2-3 medium-large heirloom tomatoes* (ugly ones work perfectly!)
• ~1/2 cup cherry tomatoes*
• 3-4 tomatillos* – husked and roasted
• 1/2 large cucumber* – peeled and rougly chopped
• 2-3 fresh lemon basil sprigs*
• 2-3 fresh sweet basil sprigs*
• 2-3 fresh cinnamon basil sprigs*
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme*
• 1 spring of oregano*
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Air-Fried Okra “Croutons”:

• 4 whole okra pods*
• 1 tbsp lemon basil-infused olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• 4-5 fresh cinnamon basil leaves* – finely chopped

For the Lemon Basil Oil:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 5-6 lemon basil leaves*
• Pinch of salt

Protein Options:

• Grilled shrimp, fish, or chicken cooked to your preference

*Available in this week’s garden harvest kit

Directions:

Prepare the Lemon Basil Oil: Heat olive oil in a small saucepan to 180°F (warm but not smoking). Remove from the heat and add torn lemon basil leaves. Let steep for 15 minutes, then remove the leaves just before using.

Roast the Tomatillos: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place husked tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes until slightly charred and softened. This removes the raw tartness and adds a lovely smoky depth to the gazpacho.

Make the Gazpacho: Roughly chop the tomatoes, roasted tomatillos, and cucumber. Add to a blender with lemon basil, sweet basil, cinnamon basil (save some leaves for the okra), thyme, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth but still slightly chunky – you want some texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.

Air-Fry the Okra: Pat okra dry with paper towels. Toss some of the lemon basil-infused olive oil and sea salt. Air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy. Immediately toss the hot okra with chopped cinnamon basil leaves – the heat will release the herb’s aromatic oils.

Prepare Your Protein: Grill your chosen protein and season with some of the extra herbs from your kit this week.

Assemble and Serve: Ladle the chilled gazpacho into bowls. Top with the air-fried okra “croutons,” and a drizzle of the lemon basil oil. Garnish with any remaining fresh herbs, and serve alongside your grilled protein,

Why This Recipe Works (Beyond Just Taste)

This gazpacho represents everything I love about functional medicine nutrition – it’s proof that food can be both incredibly delicious and deeply nourishing. Every component serves a purpose:

• The raw vegetables provide living enzymes and maximum nutrient retention
• The variety of herbs creates a complex profile of therapeutic compounds
• The healthy fats from olive oil help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins
• The fiber from okra supports your gut microbiome
• The lycopene from tomatoes provides powerful antioxidant protection

Plus, it’s naturally hydrating, anti-inflammatory, and supports healthy digestion – basically everything your body craves during hot summer days.

The Beauty in Imperfection

Sometimes the best dishes come from what seems like less-than-perfect ingredients. Those cracked, weird-shaped tomatoes that made me initially frustrated? They turned out to have the most incredible flavor when blended into this gazpacho. The struggling nasturtium plants provided just enough peppery leaves to add that special something the dish needed.

This is exactly how I approach functional medicine – working with what your body is giving you right now, finding the beauty and potential in every situation, and creating something nourishing from whatever ingredients life provides.

Ready to Transform Your Health Through Food?

If you’re curious about how functional foods can address your specific health concerns, I’d love to help you create a personalized nutrition plan. Through comprehensive lab analysis and detailed health history, we can identify which foods will serve as medicine for your unique body.

Whether you’re dealing with digestive issues, hormone imbalances, chronic fatigue, or simply want to optimize your health, there’s a functional food approach that can help you feel your best.

Book a consultation to discover how food can become your most powerful medicine.

Join our upcoming workshop to learn how to thrive through the transition into perimenopause and menopause.

Sometimes the most beautiful transformations start with the most imperfect ingredients – just like healing.