I don’t know if it’s the same with you guys, but in summer, I’m rarely hungry and the only thing that I usually fancy is gazpacho, my reddish golden cold soup 0r a refreshing apperitive with a cold beer, cheese, olives and easy healthy dips that go well with light vegetables or fruits.

For this special family gathering, back in Spain, we chose:

1. Variety of cheeses
2. Fuet (catalan pork cured meat)
3. Olives and pickles
4. Carrot (and cucumber) crudittés
5. Melon and ham skewers
6. Hummus
7. Guacamole
8. Breadsticks or tortilla chips

For the Hummus and Guacamole dip, I used the Thermomix recipes, but you can very well use the blender.

Add into the blender in this order/ Añade a la batidora en este orden:

• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 400g boiled or canned chickpeas
• 2-3 tbsps water
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 3 tbsps sesame seeds (or tahini)
• 1/2- 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• If you want, add 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Blend. When mixed, pour into a bowl to serve cold.  For garnish, make a circle on the top of the dip, add oil and a pinch of paprika.

GUACAMOLE

Add into the blender in this order:

• handful coriander, leaves and stalks chopped
• 1 chilli, red or green, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 large ripe tomato roughly chopped
• Blend all together. When mixed, pour in a bowl and keep it aside.

Add into blender/ Añade en la batidora.

• 3 avocados, very ripe but not bruised
• juice 1 large lime
• 1tsp of salt

Add the previous mixture with this last one. Serve cold.

And now go and get yourself a cold beer. And ENJOY  IT!