Tag: North Carolina Living

Fresh, colorful, and ridiculously easy—this is one of those salads that tastes like summer in a bowl. Crisp cucumber, sweet tomatoes, creamy avocado and red onion get tossed in a bright lemon-honey red wine vinaigrette with just a touch of garlic.

It’s perfect with something off the grill, alongside sandwiches, or straight out of the bowl while standing at the kitchen counter. Not that I’ve ever done that. 😂

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 2 English cucumbers, chopped
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into chunks
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (or cilantro if you like it better)

For Lora’s Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• A small pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Add the chopped cucumber, tomatoes and red onion to a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic and salt until everything comes together.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber mixture and gently toss.
4. Add the avocado and parsley last, then gently fold everything together so the avocado stays in nice chunks instead of turning into avocado mush. 😉
5. Give it a taste and add a little more salt or squeeze of lemon if needed.
6. Serve immediately or let it chill for about 10–15 minutes before serving.

Lora’s Tip 💗

If you’re making this ahead, prepare everything except the avocado. Keep it refrigerated and add the avocado right before serving. It stays prettier, fresher and—most importantly—doesn’t turn brown and sad on you.

Make It Your Own

A little crumbled feta is delicious on top, and if you want more of a meal than a side dish, add grilled chicken or shrimp.

From Lora’s Kitchen 💗

Home is about so much more than four walls—it’s the food we make, the people we share it with, and all those everyday moments in between. I’m Lora Rousseau, a Realtor® with Weichert Realtors – Team Metro, serving Hickory, NC, Catawba County and communities throughout the Foothills of North Carolina. When I’m not helping people buy and sell homes, you’ll usually find me sharing a little bit of what I love about home right here on Lora Knows Home.