I don’t consider spring to have sprung until great produce starts trickling into the stores. Last weekend the most amazing tomatoes and cucumbers were at the market…so now I can officially call it outdoor eating weather! To honor this joyous occasion, I made a light and flavor packed salad to eat al fresco with my folks. Warm weather is all about eating healthy, but not skimping on taste. The key to doing that is getting fresh produce. The freshest produce is locally grown, so buy local!
Anyway, after chopping the cucumbers and tomatoes, you toss those delicious slices in balsamic that’s “spiked” with garlic. Let everything chill in the fridge, then add some feta. Oh my god, so good! This recipe is so simple and so fresh and so flavorful that you will want to make it for every picnic, bbq, and outdoor dinner party that you throw this summer!
15 grape tomatoes
1 cucumber
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon basil oil (extra virgin olive oil works great too)
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon capers
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup feta
Salt/pepper(to taste)
Quarter the grape tomatoes. Add to a large bowl.
Using a vegetable peeler, peel off some of the skin from the cucumber (about 4-5 long peels around the side…so it looks like it has stripes). Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut in half lengthwise again. Slice everything and add the slices to the bowl. **if your cucumber has lots of seeds or isn’t the firmest, scoop out some of the seeds to prevent the salad from getting watery**
Mince the garlic and capers. Add to the bowl.
Pour in the balsamic, oil, honey, oregano, and a small pinch of salt/pepper.
Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 20-25 minutes.
Stir in the feta.
Serve with some toasted bread or plain! Enjoy!