Mediterranean Cucumber, Tomato and Red Onion Salad

This vibrant mélange of sweet, crunchy, tangy and herby love from the garden is prefect for a hot summer day lunch or as an accompaniment for your cold roasted chicken or grilled garlic/Dijon flank steak.

Ingredients

-2 cups assorted grape tomatoes, some halved and some whole

-2 cups English cucumber, peeled and diced

-½ sweet red onion, sliced thinly

-15 Kalamata olives, halved

-¼ cup toasted pine nuts

-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

-Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

-Chiffonade of fresh basil and mint

Method

• Combine cucumber, tomatoes and Kalamata olives and the sliced red onion.

• Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan on the stove top stirring constantly as the tend to burn quickly and add to the rest of the ingredients.

• Dress with the olive oil and lemon juice.

• Mix in the basil/mint chiffonade and add salt and pepper to taste.

• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Variations:

• Add crumbled feta, sliced fennel or rinsed garbanzo beans