Simple Spring Salad

I sat up in bed last night, my heart pounding, as a crack of thunder shook our small apartment. The stormed raged through the night, and this morning when we crawled out of bed, I was surprised to find our roof still attached. Typically, I’d object to this wild weather (it does terrible things to my hair and has ruined a couple of my favorite suede booties), but this afternoon when the rain shook its last tree, there was the smell of spring in the air. David and I laced up our sneakers and rushed to the park in hopes of getting a walk in before another storm hit. Luckily, we avoided the rain; but the wind, the wind mocked our pre-seasonal walk and showed our hair who was boss. Despite the chilly breeze, we practically skipped through the park, grateful to see the small pops of green, yellow, and purple that promise warmer weather soon.

Spring’s my second least favorite season. Winter’s the worst. I shake like a Chihuahua and I’m not proud of the whining noises I make when the cold air hits my face. And so while I’m relieved winter’s coming to a close, spring always fakes me out with a warm day or two, and then BAM, back to the winter parka. I need predictability in my life…and sundresses. To usher in the season, I’m transitioning to lighter dishes, full of the fresh produce from the farmers’ market that I can’t wait to horde. We kicked things off today with my simple spring salad; a quick and easy dish that’s refreshingly light but flavorful. It takes less than ten minutes to prepare and contains just a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

This salad is the perfect complement to any quick, weeknight dinner, adding some fresh veggies to lighten the meal up. It also makes for a satisfying lunch; just add in some grilled chicken on top to keep you full all afternoon. And while my simple spring salad arrived just in the nick of time (my pants are a little snug from all of the rich, delicious stews I happily prepared this winter), it will only get better as the weather warms up. Imagine this salad with a couple of warm, ripe tomatoes and cucumbers from your garden! Make it now to get yourself in the spring mindset and make it again this summer when you’re flush with perfect freshly grown veggies.

Are you ready to get started making this recipe?  Head over to our shop page to make sure you have all of the necessary prep tools.  Then watch this short video and print a copy of the recipe below to try it out in your kitchen.  Enjoy!

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Simple Spring Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Spring is in the air!  This salad is the perfect complement to any quick, weeknight dinner, adding some fresh veggies to lighten the meal up.

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Amy Burns the Recipe Book

Ingredients

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
• 2 cups English cucumbers cut into 1-inch dice
• 1/2 cup green olives cut in half lengthwise
• 1 avocado cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice about 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 garlic clove minced or finely grated with a microplane
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

2. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly.
   

3. Add the avocado and very gently toss to incorporate. Serve immediately.