Chilled Cucumber Soup With Spicy Salsa

A nice contrast in flavors. You could also use a store-bought salsa or make it milder or hotter to suit your taste. From "Diabetes Cooking for Everyone", by Carol Gelles. Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 milk, 1/4 fat.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 5  cups  peeled cubed cucumbers
• 1  cup chicken or 1  cup vegetable broth
• 1⁄4 cup scallion, pieces green part only, cut in one-inch lengths
• 2  tablespoons  firmly packed cilantro leaves
• 1⁄2 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
•  salt

• Salsa

• 1⁄2 cup tomatoes, wedges
• 1  jalapeno pepper, seeded (unseeded if you like it spicier)
• 1  tablespoon  sliced scallion (White and light green parts)
• 1  tablespoon  fresh limes or 1  tablespoon lemon juice
•  salt

Directions

1. Place cucumber through garlic in a blender or food processor, process until smooth. Stir in the buttermilk and salt to taste. Chill at least 1 hour, remembering to taste for seasoning before serving.
2. Salsa: Place all salsa ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
3. Serve the soup in individual bowls, topped with dollops of the salsa.