Healthy Living in the Tropics Part 2 Cool Soups

And now that we have come back from the Masaya market, let us get cooking. Here are some delicious and easy to make soups that evokes a taste of Latin America.

Gazpacho:

Gazpacho

4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 English cucumber, peeled and finely diced

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup minced green onion

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch dried oregano

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1. Combine diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, green onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a large bowl. Stir in salt, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
2. Place cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture through a strainer into the tomato-cucumber mixture; stir to combine.
3. Place 1/3 of the tomato mixture into the blender. Cover, turn blender on, and puree until smooth. Return pureed mixture to the remaining tomato-cucumber mixture. Stir to combine. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
4. Season cold soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with basil.

Avocado Vichyssoise:

Avocado Vichyssoise

This is an easy soup to make. It is served cold so it is a refreshing lunch or beginning to supper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Add 3 peeled and cubed potatoes and 3 trimmed and chopped leeks. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add 4 cups stock, vegetable is best. Boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Purée, then let cool. Stir in a mix of mashed and coarsely chopped flesh of  2 avocados before serving. Garnish: Chopped cilantro. If you can not find leeks here some mild onions with green attached can be used, just reduce the quantity a bit.

Lime and Tortilla Soup:

Not cool but declicious

In this classic soup, called sopa de lima, from Mexico's Yucatan region. You can use chicken breasts or my favorite is with shredded BBQ chicken it goes well with the chipotle peppers. Be careful not to add too much chili or the soup may be too fiery for comfort. You want to maintain a good balance between the tartness of the lime and the heat of the chilies. One large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced, makes a soothing garnish to the spicy broth. 

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 corn tortillas, cut into strips 2 inches long
• 2 cups shredded BBQ chicken (I like the smoky flavor)
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs. minced garlic
• 1 to 3 tsp. finely minced chipotle chili peppers
• 1 1/2 cups fresh peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes 
• 6 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 12 paper-thin lime slices, cut into quarters

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 3 1/2 quarts of the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat so the broth boils gently and boil until reduced by half to about 7 cups, about 30 minutes. Buy a BBQ chicken and use bones and skin to make stock.

Brush tortillas with light coating of oil. Cut into narrow 1/4 inch strips and place in 350 oven for about 15 minutes until crisp.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño chili and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to soften. Add the reduced broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the shredded chicken, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper, and simmer until the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Sprinkle the lime pieces and tortilla strips evenly over the top. Garnish with queso fresco and avocado.  Serve immediately. Enjoy

Retirement Security in Nicaragua

Here is my idea of retirement security. Living in a beautiful, healthy location surrounded by lots of great possibilities for activities, among a circle of friends. In a house that is built and paid for, with its own alternate power and water. Enough land to have a garden to supply fresh fruits and vegetables, fish from the sea. This would provide real retirement security.

View of Playa Madera

  It is inflation proof. Your major costs are covered. Solar panels are now guaranteed for 25 years, and have a usable life expectancy of 80% for 40 years. With the climate here one can grow a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables all year round. Vista Playa Madera is planted with thousands of tropical trees. Virtually every tropical fruit imaginable have been planted from avocados and bananas, to lychees and mangoes, to pineapple, passion fruit, grapes and more. Just a few minutes walk away you have 5 different beaches and bays, from one with wild and raucous waves another with calm still waters, it all depends on the angle of the beaches and headlands. To get a retirement visa here all one needs is proof of $700 a month in income. All this can be done for under $100,000; then you are set for the rest of ones life.

View of Mogan's Rock from Playa Madera

Wonderful Diversity & Beauty of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is increasingly being discovered as a tourist and retirement destination. It is a country of tremendous beauty and diversity. It is composed of three distinct regions; the Pacific coast

Morgan's Rock near San Juan del Sur

 and adjacent lowlands, the central highlands,

The highland mountains near Matagalpa

 and the tropical forests and beaches of the Caribbean.

Corn Island in the Nicaraguan Caribbean

 The Pacific area is known as the land of lakes and volcanoes.

Volcan Concepcion on Ometepe

Laguna Apoya a crater lake near Granada

Playa Madera near San Juan del Sur

The rugged coastline creates a wonderful diversity of beaches and bays, that provide something for everyone from surfers looking for great waves, to families wanting calm waters to swim and play.

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Properties at Vista Playa Madera

Vista Playa Madera is a small ecologically oriented development locate just above the beautiful beach of Playa Madera. This is one of the most beautiful beaches in Nicaragua. It is world famous for surfing. Yet, the rocky headlands create a myriad of different bays from great surfing to other bays with tranquil waters. There is a beach for everyone within minutes walk of the properties.

Morgan's Rock from Playa Madera

All properties have good access and excellent, potable well water. The properties have been landscaped and planted with a wide diversity of tropical plants and flowers. Thousands of tropical fruits have been planted on the properties. There are oranges, mandarin, limes, grapefruit, papaya, pineapple, bananas, cashews, pomegranate, passion fruit, cinnamon  pepper, avocados, mangoes and many, many more planted throughout the development. One can begin harvesting fresh fruit this year on some of the lots. Imagine stepping outside your door and picking fresh, organic fruit from your very own yard.

One of the lots. The foreground is a riot of papaya, pineapple, citrus, watermelons and more

These properties have been designed to ensure that each one has great views that can not be blocked by further development. There are spectacular views all the way from Costa Rica to Morgan's Rock. These are spectacular views. Many of the properties have views of the surf break at Playa Madera.

View from Vista Playa Madera

Stage 1 is composed of lots of approximately 1/4 acre, and  larger  nestled in the pristine forests above Playa Madera.  Lots in Stage 1 range from $27,995 to $99,995. Picture of Playa Madera  from one of the lots.  Stage 1 has four lots that range from 1063 meters squared to 2600 meters squared.

Lot 3 Stage 1

All the lots are located in a beautiful forested valley above Playa Madera. The forests abound with monkeys, butterflies, iguanas, and parrots. Yet, it is a very healthy place. There have been no reported cases of malaria in the state of Rivas, dengue fever is only found in urban areas. With your own well this is a very healthy place to live. My house has no screens on the windows and there are virtually no bugs to bother one.

Sunset from Vista Playa Madera

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While close to the beach they are nestled in the tropical forest above the beach. This is the best of both worlds, very close to the beach, yet set above the hustle and bustle. These forests are wonderful. They are home to a diversity of birds, butterflies, monkeys, and more.

Playa Madera

Morgan's Rock from Playa Madera

Sunset fromVista Playa Madera

 Stage 2 is just opening March 15th and will have 17 lots ranging from 500 M2 to 1500 M2. These are beautiful lots with incredible views toward the southwest from Costa Rica to Morgan's Rock.

 The new lots start at $17,995. They are just a few minutes walk from the beach and several restaurants and bars, yet nestled in the tranquility of the forest. This is a great place for a vacation home, retirement, or investment property.