The picture above is a picture of perfection. I eat this salad a few times a week because I have an addictive personality, and when I enjoy something, I like to enjoy it a lot. It’s the perfect combination of soft tomatoes and crispy cucumbers, velvety avocado, a blend of healthy virgin olive oil and zesty lemon. And don’t even get me started on the garlic. I. love. garlic. Almost everything that I cook has a hint of garlic. It takes me back to my childhood in Ukraine when I spent summers at my grandmas house in a tiny little village. My aunt and I would get some fresh, young garlic from grandmas garden and eat it with black bread and “salo”(basically solid lard). Yum Yum Yum. 

So how can you recreate this delicious goodness? It’s as easy as 1,2,3 (and 4,5,6).

1. Cut up a tomato (or two..or three..really, go crazy.)

 

2. Add some sliced cucumbers (about the same amount as tomatoes)

 

3. Spoon out some avocado (LOVE avocado-not only is it yummy, it’s also healthy!)

 

4. Squeeze some lemon (this adds zest and also keeps the avocado from browning. How much? Depends on how zesty you like your food. For the above amount, I did half a lemon).

 

5. Salt (I prefer sea salt), Pepper (I like freshly cracked), Garlic (did I mention that I LOVE garlic? If you don’t (we probably can’t be friends:), you can substitute it with onion (red or white). For the above amount, I did one medium sized clove. You can do more or less 🙂

 

6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I don’t really measure this…just drizzle based on what I think is enough. If you aren’t sure…start with a little..mix salad, taste and go from there. 

 

7. ENJOY! I eat this with any type of bread we have at home (I do have a bread knife..but I couldn’t wait to  attack the salad…so I just ripped off a few chucks of bread. I looooveee wiping the plate with the bread once I eat the salad). 

 

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. I’ve served this to quite a few friends and it was always a hit. Oh and don’t you love my serving dish? It’s a find from a recent trip to Goodwill in Brockport, NY. I am kind of glad there isn’t a Goodwill here in Brooklyn because I would be there daily.