Yesterday, I didn’t go for a run outside because with the wind chill the temperature was 33 degrees – too cold for me! Today, I went for a run and the temperature was 75 degrees. What?! I’m not complaining, but this see-saw weather is so hard to adjust to!
I guess I’ll just have to sit on my balcony in the 75 degree sunshine sipping some wine and pondering how to adjust to the beautiful day. (I.Can’t.Wait.)
Spring is my favorite time of year because everything feels so fresh and new. Yet, spring is also my busiest time of year, and this year especially. So, I needed something fresh, fast and nutritious to keep me fueled and on the go.
Deceptively simple, this salad will sit pretty next to any entree on your plate. I served it with a curried tofu wrap, but this will also be great to bring to a barbecue party. Even though it has avocado in it, the lemon juice will preserve the color, making it last for a few days.
Fennel bulbs took me a long time to learn how to cut well. I always ended up with weird shaped pieces and tough chunks that were less than tasty. Often, fennel is sliced, but I prefer it diced in this recipe.
First, cut off the long green fronds from the top of the bulb. Then, cut the bulb into quarters. Wash each quarter well, removing the outer peeling if it looks tough or brown. Similar to cabbage, cut out the core from each quarter. The core is tough and has little flavor, so it usually detracts rather than adds to a dish. To slice them, start at the bottom and slice toward the top. To dice them, cut them into thick slices lengthwise (as shown in the bottom photo), then, cut each slice starting at the bottom.
Fennel does tend to turn brown, like avocados, when exposed to air. Fortunately, the lemon juice helps preserve their color too.
Now, I’m off to enjoy some much needed sunshine!
- 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- Place the cucumber and fennel into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the chives, salt, and pepper.
- In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the lemon juice using a fork. Keep mashing until it is very smooth.
- Scrape the avocado mixture into the bowl with the cucumber. Stir well to combine. Adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired.