So Fresh: Summer Salad

There's nothing I love more in the Summer than eating fresh veggies! I'm a little "over" lettuce at the moment, and spinach is great in my smoothies, so I thought--why not make a salad out of the toppings sans the greens!? I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do, and I am simply calling it "Summer Salad."

You'll need:

- A fresh Lemon for the juice (whenever I go to the store I've just made it a rule to pick up a lemon, even if I don't need one!)
- 1/4 cut Cucumber (I use organic hydroponic or the little Persian cucumbers - I can't do the wax on the peel of regular cucumbers)
- 10 Cherry Tomatoes (I've been loving these little yellow heirloom tomatoes, but you could use any sort of cherry tomato)
- 1/4 of a large or 1/2 of a small Avocado
- Feta Cheese (enough for one heaping tablespoon or a heavy sprinkle)
- Your favorite Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste

First, slice the cucumber and quarter the slices. Quarter the cherry tomatoes with a tomato knife-- this is the BEST tomato knife ever--my mom swears by them! Plus, they are made in the good old US of A! 

Place the cucumbers and tomatoes in a salad bowl. 

To add the avocado:

Half the avocado, and use the side without the pit. Take a paring knife to cut through the avocado just until you are hitting the shell, create a checkerboard, cutting into it vertically and horizontally. Be careful to do this lightly with the knife so you don't cut through the shell. Then squeeze the avocado into the bowl with the cucumber and tomato. I do this so there's no sticky mess of avocado everywhere.  Half of an avocado will keep longer if stored with the pit.

I love this olive oil from Pickle Creek farms. I'm all about buying local, and this is sold at my farmers market. The man that sells it infuses the olive oil himself with organic produce. Here's their Facebook page.

Now, add your olive oil, drizzling over the top of the veggies. Stir the ingredients so the oil evenly coats the veggies. Add the fresh lemon juice. I squeeze the lemon right onto the salad. You won't need more than a Tablespoon. I love lemon, so it just depends on what your taste buds prefer. This will also help the avocado from browning. Then, add the crumbled feta and mix again. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! 

This makes enough for a larger single serving. You could also add your own veggies to put a spin on the dish, but I think these are the perfect combinations! I may try adding fresh basil. Double the recipe if you'd like to feed more. I'd recommend serving chilled and within a couple hours of making the salad.