This salad is the result of having an avocado, too many cherry tomatoes, and an English cucumber that really needed to be eaten. You know how that goes. Either you bought too many vegetables on your last grand adventure to the grocery store, or like with us, your last farm box included many of the same vegetables you already had on hand. This happens to us all the time. And of course, I always tell myself, this week I am going to serve – more – veggies! And it’s not that we don’t eat plenty of vegetables already. We do. But there is always room for improvement. Especially in this household where both of us have always enjoyed and felt cheated if we don’t dine on the perfect threesome for dinner. Entrée, side starch of some kind (unless of course it’s a pasta dish where the starch is part of the entrée), and a veggie or salad. And if there’s a slice or two of freshly baked bread on the side, all the better. (Bread at dinner doesn’t happen often at Chez Carr, but when it does it’s a real treat.) But, for us, our downfall is that darn starchy side dish.

Perhaps it’s just psychological, but I don’t think so. Regardless, my taste buds could apparently care less what my brain has to say on the subject. They just know what they like. And my taste buds like veggies just fine. But what they really crave are the creamy, calorie laden starches that compliment almost any entrée. Especially the entrées that feature a lean cut of meat or fish. So, you can see, after all my years of pacifying my taste buds, they are bound to rebel at a lean piece of chicken, no starchy side dish, but rather two veggies or a veggie and a salad.  

But the other evening, I served this salad with a baked piece of chicken and steamed broccoli. For whatever reason, this combination of dishes met with my taste bud’s approval. There was no, “I feel cheated”, “you’re trying to starve me”, or “why do you hate me” whining going on. In fact, because it had been a fairly low fat, low calorie dinner, my mind didn’t give me any flak either!

So, if you too would like to serve a dish that doesn’t cause guilt or a sense of longing for missed delicacies, build this salad at your earliest convenience. It is just creamy delicious. And just as satisfying as a starchy side dish. (But it’s got veggies in it!)

As always, have a great time in your kitchen, keep laughing out loud, and finding the joy in everything you do. Life’s short my friends. Live it to the fullest. And no, I’m not giving up on side dishes completely. I’m just going to try and cook healthier. And serve more vegetables. (Sorry honey!)    

Peace and love to all.       

1 T. extra virgin olive oil  

1 T. fresh lemon juice  

½ tsp. kosher salt  

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. halved grape or cherry tomatoes

⅓ c. thinly sliced red onion  

⅓ English cucumber, partially peeled, halved, then cut ⅓-inch thick

1 avocado, diced

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Whisk or shake the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together.  

Place the tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, diced avocado, and parsley in a salad bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently just before serving.

And yes of course, if you want to add some diced carrot to your salad, fling it in. Or any other veggie for that matter. This is just a basic “throw it all together” salad. The creamy delicious part comes from the avocado. Because regardless of how carefully you toss the salad, some of the avocado melts onto everything. Yum!