Summer Salad

Que paso, Phoodies?

Today’s recipe was developed by a happy accident. The plan this week was to create a great recipe for avocado ice cream. After several different variations, and after running out of ice for the ice cream maker, none of them were blowing us out of the water, so we threw in the towel (for now) on the avocado ice cream. The problem was, I purchased enough avocados to make even Keith Richards look young again, so we had to use them for something.

One of the results of our avocado experimentation was this amazing and easy summer salad. It’s light, and fresh, and will go well with any summer cookout. It’s also healthier than potato salad, and in our opinion, tastes better. In fact, you may want to find a quiet corner so you can shamefully lick your plate clean. Unless you have no shame…then lick away my friend.

Prep-time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

4-5 large cucumbers
6-8 roma or vine-ripened tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2-3 large, just-ripe avocados (for this recipe, you don’t want them too squishy)
1/2 cup light olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder well, and set aside.
Remove seeds from tomatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Remove skin and seeds from cucumber and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Remove leaves from cilantro and chop roughly.
Remove pit from avocado and while still in the husk, cut into cubes. Remove cubes, and discard husk.
Throw cucumber, tomato, cilantro and avocado into large mixing bowl.
Dump the vinaigrette into the bowl, and mix everything gently (this is where the avocado can become mush if it’s overly ripe…)
Choose the most lickable plate, and serve.