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Stay cool as a cucumber with Ellie Krieger's no-cook soup.

Week three of our season-long garden party Summer Fest 2011 welcomes food and garden bloggers to feature garden-to-table recipes and tips. We’ll help you to enjoy all that this season has to offer. So far, we’ve delved into eggplant and peaches. This week we’re getting creative with: cucumbers.

With temperatures reaching 90 degrees in many areas of the country, it’s just too hot to cook. But it’s never too hot to eat right, so mercury rising is no excuse to roll through the drive-through. Ellie Krieger’s Cool Cucumber Soup is just the solution. It’s perfect for the height of summer because:

• You won’t need to turn on the oven or stove to make it.
• It’s done in 20 minutes.
• It’s a great way to use up the cucumbers growing like crazy in the garden.
• It clocks in at just 130 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, so makes a waistline-friendly light lunch or appetizer.
• Per Ellie, it’s a good source of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium.

What are you waiting for? Get out the blender and whip up this super-cool, creamy-yet-good-for you cold soup.

Cool Cucumber Soup
Serves 4

3 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1 English cucumber (about 1 pound), cut into chunks
1 scallion, white and green parts, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced, or 3 sliced radishes
2 teaspoons olive oil

In a blender, combine the yogurt, cucumber, scallion and dill. Pulse until pureed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons of diced tomato or radishes, drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and garnish with a dill sprig.

Per 1 cup serving:

Calories: 130
Total Fat: 2.5 grams
Saturated: Fat 0 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Total carbohydrate: 17 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Cholesterol: 5 milligrams
Sodium: 140 milligrams

More Cucumbers from Family and Friends:

Cooking Channel: Cucumbers Stuffed with Crab-Mango Salad

Pinch My Salt: Chilled Cucumber, Kefir and Avocado Soup

What’s Gaby Cooking: Cucumber-Basil Gimlet

In Jennie’s Kitchen: Radish-Cucumber Crostini

Big Girl Small Kitchen: Spicy Cucumber Salad with Shallot, Ginger and Mint

Grecian Kitchen: Summer Cucumber Salad

And Love It Too: Cucumber, Mint and Watermelon Salad

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Cucumbers Coolers with Agave Simple Syrup

Cooking With My Kid: Cucumber Limeade

FN Dish: Summer Fest: Cucumber Recipes

CIA Dropout: Relishing Cucumbers

Food for 7 Stages of Life: Cucumber Cherry Salsa

Cooking With Elise: Green Tea Cucumber Pops

Glory Foods: Cucumber and Shrimp Boat

Virtually Vegan Mama: Fire-Roasted Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho

Food2: When Life Gives You Cucumbers, Make a Cucumber Cocktail

Recipe Girl: Bread and Butter Pickles

Taste With the Eyes: Spicy Pickled Cucumbers with Wakame and Garlic Blossoms

Virtually Homemade: Cold Thai Cucumber-Mint Soup

Add a Pinch: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

The Cultural Dish: Ahi Tuna with Cucumber Sauce and Salad

Daily*Dishin: Cool n’ Zesty Cukes: 7 Minute Summer in a Jar

Daydreamer Desserts: Cubanita Margarita

Purple Cook: Cucumber Gazpacho with Indian Flavored Shrimp Relish

Indian Simmer: Cucumber at its Best with Chaat Masala

Big Apple Nosh: Quick and Easy Homemade Pickles

Sweet Life Bake: Agua de Pepino

The Sensitive Epicure: Tzatziki with Grilled Gluten-Free Pitas and Fresh Cucumbers and Peppers

Zaika Zabardast: Cucumber Gazpacho

A Way to Garden: Cucumber-Growing Q&A and the Best Pickles

Cooking with Books: Summer Fest: Cucumbers