Healthy & Cool Summer Salad

This salad has been coined the ‘Deck Salad’ because ideally you can pick every item from your patio or deck.  Here’s what you need: A heaping handful of cherry tomatoes, a small cucumber, 3-4 radishes, ½ small purple onion, and 3-4 fresh basil leaves.  Cut all of the cherry tomatoes in half and place in a bowl.  Cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces.  Julienne the radishes or chop into small pieces.  Chop the purple onion and basil and then add everything into the bowl of tomatoes.  Mix well, add salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar to taste, and enjoy.

This salad is always a bit hit, and you can add almost any protein to make it a delicious meal.  One of my favorites to add is tuna.  Use a can of tuna (in vegetable broth), add half of an avocado and the juice of one lime. Then, mix together well.  Add ¼ of a white onion and some salt and pepper. Serve on the side of the Deck Salad, possibly over a bed of arugula. Healthy, cool and full of flavor, this is a quick meal that is just perfect for summer at the lake.