feta and cucumber salad

Since the weather has warmed up (um, sort of), I’ve been wanting to incorporate more leafy green salads into my diet. I always associate cucumbers with the beginning of summer, since that’s when they are first ripe for the pickin’ in my dad’s garden. I was inspired by the traditional Greek summer salad, but used what I had on hand – including lettuce, which traditionally is not included.

Tips:
- Rinse the red onions briefly in cold water. This helps take off the edge from eating them raw. Alternatively, toss the onions in some olive oil and roast them at 450F on a baking sheet, just until the onion is beginning to brown. This will bring out the natural sweetness of the onions. Definitely worth the extra step.

- I only added a pinch of salt to the dressing. I found the the salad to be salty enough with the feta and olives.

Feta and Cucumber Salad
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1 head of romaine, red leaf, or green leaf lettuce, washed thoroughly and chopped into small pieces
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces
1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

For the dressing:
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dill
1/3 cup white wine or red wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

Toss together the oregano, dill, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a bowl. Slowly pour in the olive oil, stirring constantly. Continue mixing until blended. Add a little more salt and pepper, if necessary.

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, onions, cucumber, and tomatoes. Gently toss in the dressing, lightly coating everything with the dressing. Divide the salad into bowls and top with feta and olives.

Serves 5-6

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1. lentil salad with feta and sun-dried tomatoes
2. cucumber and radish salad
3. kale salad with honey dressing and pine nuts
4. green salad with apples and pecans with buttermilk honey dressing
5. salad with carrot ginger dressing

Tags: easy, gluten-free, salad, vegetarian