mediterranean vegetable salad

You know that point in the summer where food stops sounding good? You know that point. It's 100+ degrees outside. You haven't stopped sweating in weeks. Everything sounds blah. And you just want to suck on a watermelon margarita until September. Yeah, so that point? I reached it about two weeks ago.

So, rather than turning into a raging alcoholic -- a SKINNY raging alcoholic, but a raging alcoholic nonetheless -- I've turned to (gasp) vegetables. Yes, that's right folks, this here is a veggie-centric recipe and I'm not even sorry. After all, we all need a break from butter and sugar every once in a while. Right?

I've been making this particular recipe on repeat for about a year now. The beauty is in the versatility. It can be a great side dish alongside chicken or steak. Or, it can hold center stage as the main dish, which is how I've been rolling lately. A bowl of this salad with a pita pocket for stuffing, dipping, and soaking is pure heaven on a hot summer night. Pair this with a glass of wine and we'll be best friends.

More than that, though, the ingredients themselves are super flexible. Don't have parsley, mint, and basil? That's cool. I went will all chives this time. No lemon juice? I subbed in red wine vinegar and it provided the same necessary acid. Don't like feta? Well, you're cookoo for Cocoa Puffs, but you can definitely switch it out for fresh mozzarella. Every way I've made this salad has been equally and unfailingly delicious. Promise.

Now step away from the watermelon margarita and go eat your veggies!

Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:
10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and 1/2-inch diced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbs minced garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
8 oz. feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced

Directions:

Place the quartered tomatoes in a strainer and toss with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Allow to drain 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil to make an emulsion.

Spin the tomatoes in a salad spinner several times to remove seeds and moisture. Toss the tomatoes with the scallions, cucumber, chickpeas, parsley, mint, and basil in a large bowl. Whisk the dressing to recombine, and pour over salad. Toss gently to coat. Add the feta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently. Serve.

Serves: 4 to 6 as main dish, 8 to 10 as side dish

Source: How Easy is That?