Tomato, Cucumber & Onion Salad with Feta Cheese: Real Convenience Food

I love salad, but there are days when washing lettuce is just one thing too many to do. Do you have days like that? The idea of spending even just a few minutes at the sink, dutifully washing lettuce leaves just...smacks of effort. 

One of my favorite non-lettuce salads is this one: perfectly simple, tasty and lovely. It's reminiscent of an Israeli chopped salad (but with much less chopping). I happened upon some mini heirloom tomatoes; if you don't have access to them, just use regular ol' -- delicious! -- grape tomatoes. Even though you're not including greens in this salad, you'll still reap nutritional rewards from  the tomatoes, arguably one of the healthiest foods on earth. In fact, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin K, which is found mostly in greens (take note if your kids won't eat lettuce but will eat tomatoes!).

For you moms who work outside of the home: this salad travels well. Whereas a lettuce salad wilts pretty soon after you dress it, this salad is hearty; I would often prepare it at night, dress it in the morning, then take it to work for lunch. 

Ingredients

serves one as a main dish, two as a side salad

• one kirby (aka pickling) or persian cucumber
• about 2 cups mini heirloom or grape tomatoes
• about 1/3c thinly sliced red onion
• 1-2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2t extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2T balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Slice the cucumber into half-moons.

and halve the tomatoes.

Toss in the onions.

Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the EVOO and vinegar over the veggies and toss. Top with crumbled feta. Now, this isn't some earth-shattering, innovative culinary creation. I ain't too proud to admit that. What this salad is, though, is delicious, healthful, inexpensive, aesthetically appealing, and quick. And that's good enough for this busy, tired mom!

Want to make this heartier? I love to add chickpeas. Or you can serve it over couscous or brown rice. Or spoon it over a grilled chicken breast. Play with it as you wish. Just remember: there's always time to make salad!