Recipe: Chopped Summer Salad

This is an incredibly versatile salad that can fit any occasion. The flavors are fresh, and reflect what is available during the Texas summer season.

Essential Ingredients:

• 1 cup each chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, sweet pepper, cauliflower or broccoli, and radishes
• 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as mint, basil, cilantro and lemon balm. Almost any fresh herb will work, but too many different herbs muddies the flavor. I like to go with a single herb for any given salad
• 1/4-1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
• Salt to taste

Other great ingredients include snap peas, beans, zucchini or other summer squash, raw beets, bean sprouts, onions, kohlrabi, anise, celery, fresh corn and jicama.

To make it a meal you can add chick peas, black beans or lentils. Any hearty bean will hold up well and make this salad a nice light summer dinner.

To prepare, toss all ingredients together, refrigerate for about an hour before serving. Enjoy!