Whenever I hear, “Mom, this is really good,” or there is a fight for the leftovers, you know it’s a winner. This cucumber summer salad is so quick, but so good and perfect for a stand alone salad or a side for a summer party.
Eating a Mediterranean Diet
If you follow a Mediterranean diet, then you probably have an appreciation for fresh vegetables and most likely already have these ingredients in your house. The Mediterranean diet is not so much a “diet,” but an eating pattern that is focused on high amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins. Dairy typically comes from cheese and yogurt. Herbs and spices are used heavily, both dried and fresh.
The research around this eating pattern isn’t disputed, it is a diet that lowers inflammation and is high in the nutrients that are cited for longevity, like antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. I’m a believer and work to get in double the recommendation of vegetables each day.
The Cucumber Summer Salad
It’s a bit of a vague title for this salad, but for me, that’s what it is. This is the salad I want to make for the summer and it’s a tested hit in my house. I’ve heard that my kids are not normal in the sense that they love raw onions. I’ve heard this isn’t a thing in other houses.
I have one child who will sneak onion snacks while I’m chopping or slicing and that means I have to chop more. My other ones don’t mind them mixed in to a salad like this. I will say, they do go over better when they are softened a bit by some acid, either lemon juice or vinegar. Every once in a while, I’ll cut a strong onion, and we have to scrap that and use it for something else, but I tend to buy either sweet, red, or white onions.
I joked the other day that we should be onion farmers because we love them so much. Maybe one day.
For this salad, I would use an english cucumber or those little snacking cucumbers. The big summer cucumbers that you see in the height of summer are full of big seeds and thick skin…I tend to like the more delicate skin of an english cucumber.
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Cucumber Summer Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
2 English cucumbers, sliced into 1/4 in. coins
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 ripe Hass avocados, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley.
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and gently toss
or
Line up all of the ingredients separately in a shallow bowl and drizzle with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and parsley.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes