Vegetable Brilliance

28Jul10

  

 

It’s right around this time in the summer where I’m completely smitten with all the bountiful fruit and vegetable treasures that surround me. The colors and flavors of the summer are truly inspirational to me when it comes to throwing down in the kitchen. I can’t help but get excited about the brightness of the color, the richness of flavor, and the freshness that each bite encompasses.
Since it’s been a really busy summer on our end and I’ve really been missing cooking and writing about it, I decided to throw in a quick entry today. I was also inspired by my friends Casey and Adam Zeigler from Indianapolis who I just learned yesterday have a food blog of their own, Indy Foodies, on tumblr. You can check it out at www.indyfoodies.tumblr.com
At lunch today, I was craving something but couldn’t decide what I wanted. When all the sudden it dawned on me, Israeli salad! Yum! It’s so fresh, beautiful, and tastes amazing. It’s absolutely one of the best things you could eat for lunch taboot. 

I’m going to straight up tell you, I did not take these pictures. When big daddy Z is gone, no iphone camera kitchen shenanigans go down. I’m using google images for this one. So thanks to whomever else besides Zach and I that finds vegetables fascinating and beautiful enough to take pictures of and post them to google images. I salute you.  

First, I took some red leaf lettuce that I had washed and salad spun the shit out of.  

Clean and Dry Red Leaf Lettuce

 

Next, I thinly sliced some ribbons of Radicchio.  

Bright and Crisp Radicchio

 

 Next, I chopped up an a ripe and super creamy avocado. It’s important that the avocado be ready. The creamyness is going to help add to the not quite dressing later on and if it’s not ripe, it’s not going to work. Besides, let’s face it, a not quite yet ripe avocado tastes like shit anyway.  

Avocado

 

 Then I take some baby cucumbers. These little suckers are so crispy and go perfectly in a salad. They are quick and easy too since they are such little guys.  

Crunchy Baby Cucumbers

 

Let’s not forget the grape tomatoes! I like to chop them in half lengthwise so that their little seeds and juices mix with the creamyness of the avocado. This allows me to use the mixture as a dressing rather than using an oil. I don’t know about you, but I’m not huge on oil dressings as it were, but using this method also helps save on calories without scrimping on the delicious factor. If I do pick out a dressing at the store though, it’s usually garlic expressions.  

Garlic Expressions Dressing

 

So Colorful and Juicy

 

One of my last steps for this salad before mixing everything together is to squeeze some lemon juice on my ingredients. Use however much you want. I used about a half of a lemon today and it was perfect.  

A Nice Citrus Bite Melds the Flavors

 

When the lemon juice mixes in with the Avocado and small amounts of tomato juices and seeds, it does amazing things in your mouth. It’s the perfect flavorful and low-fat option over regular oil based dressings. Besides, you’re only doing your already beautiful and flavor filled veggies a favor by not polluting them with anything they don’t possibly need to shine.  

Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt and pepper and some whole grain croutons if you please.  And don’t forget to celebrate and appreciate your veggies!

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