When garden peas appear announcing the arrival of spring, I love to sit sunk into a cosy chair by the fire in the sunroom with soft soothing nocturnes playing and pod peas. Somehow podding at the kitchen bench is chore-like. A gazpacho made with fresh spring peas captures their delicate freshness and is sweetly delicious.

This gazpacho gives the option of using a jalapeño for its bright zingy flavour. If you eat a mostly raw plant-based diet or suffer from acid reflux or IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), you may or may not be able to tolerate eating jalapenos; some can tolerate the “heat”, while others can experience digestive upset.

Health benefits:

·       Green peas contain a decent amount of heart-healthy minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and calcium. Diets high in these nutrients may be helpful for preventing high blood pressure which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

GREEN PEA GAZPACHO

PB, V, DF

2 cups fresh garden peas or frozen peas

1 cucumber, sliced

1 avocado, flesh

1 garlic clove, peeled

handful of baby spinach

handful of fresh basil and mint

1 jalapeno, deseeded, optional

4 tbsp coconut yogurt

1 lemon, juiced

2 cups water

pinch of sea salt

Blanch the peas in boiling water for a 1-2 minutes, plunge straight into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain, add to a blender with the other ingredients and blitz for a minute until smooth and creamy. Pour the gazpacho through sieve and chill for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve. Serve the gazpacho with small bowls of coconut yogurt, fresh mint and an olive oil cruet for drizzling.