Honey Dew and Tomato Salad

Are you thinking…another salad?  What is she trying to do to us?  We need, we want sugar, chocolate, and butter!!! 

Yeah, yeah, yeah…I hear ya, trust me.  You are coming in loud and clear!  And I am working on it.  Hopefully later this week, the cake I am working on will show up on this here blog.  And trust me, you will be thankful that I fed you salads. 

I found the recipe that led to this salad in my Runner’s World magazine.  I did a ‘ah-ha’ that is what I will do with the honey dew sitting – sometimes rolling – on my counter.  I was excited…only I could get excited about a honey dew.  I however, didn’t express this excitement out loud, in public, at the gym.  I simply made a mental note.  The older gentlemen next to me however, was an out loud thinker.  

He was reading a book ( not a biggy…I read too while running), but this little old man was laughing, gasping, and expressing each emotion that book pulled from him.  I don’t think he even realized that he was gawfing out loud, or lol’ing, or saying – ‘no, no, no I can’t believe i!’.  I should have asked him for the title, but he was too engrossed.  I need to thank him though.  Thank him for making me giggle and smile while pumping out my miles this morning.  He made it a bit more enjoyable.  We made quite the pair this morning…him talking to himself, and me just smiling.  Who freaking smiles while running?  Me. 

Smiling makes most things more bearable.  Like eating a salad.  You may not like salads, but eat one and smile and you will probably find that you are enjoying the salad more than you thought possible.   Give it a shot.  You will be pleasantly surprised…promise.

This salad is chock full of vegetables that most of you have hanging out in your kitchen and garden ( that is if you weren’t lazy like me and actually planted one, there is always next year I suppose…).  Make it, eat it, enjoy it…Do it.

Lets get choppin’

Don’t you love jam jars?  I do.  This retro jam jar contains Greek yogurt, salt, lemon juice, and honey.  Hint the bear.  Give it a shake to mix.  This can also be done with a small bowl and a whisk.  But I like shaking things. 

Honey dew, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, mint, feta cheese…to this vegetable loot add a red onion.  I have this uncanny ability to forget key ingredients in these types of shots.  🙂

Chop, dice, slice the vegetables and honey dew.  Toss with the creamy yogurt dressing and feta cheese.  Yum!

Dish it up and whatever you do, DO NOT forget your drink with a straw.  You wanna know one thing that will always make me smile?  Straws.  Colorful straws.  It is the simple things.  If you can’t find simple things to enjoy on a daily basis…what is the point?  Big things don’t happen often enough.  But straws, they can happen daily. 

Honey Dew and Tomato Salad

Serves 4

Idea from Runner’s World

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Honey

Salad

• 1/2 Cucumber, fancy peeled (striped), thinly sliced
• 3 Tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 1/4 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Honey Dew, rind removed, cut into bite size cubes
• 1/2 Cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil – cut into ribbons (chiffonade)
• 1/4 Cup Mint – cut into ribbons (chiffonade)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a jar with lid or small bowl, add yogurt, salt, lemon juice, and honey.  Shake or whisk to combine – set aside

In a large serving bowl, toss together cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, honey dew, and feta cheese.  Pour over salad dressing and lightly toss to combine. 

Serve and sprinkle with basil and mint ribbons.  Finish with salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!