Tomato, Avocado & Feta Salad

This is a super quick, easy and very fresh salad/side dish to throw together. It requires absolutely no cooking skills, only some moderate knife skills, but is very impressive looking. I learned this recipe from my friend Jenny, who learned it from her ex-boyfriend, Mike. So thanks Mike, for teaching this recipe to me indirectly.

What you will need:

1 Hass avocado (you want it to be pretty ripe; not guacamole-ripe, but maybe one day before that)
1 large tomato (beefsteak or vine ripe work the best)
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Paprika
Reduced fat crumbled feta cheese
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Start out by slicing your avocado in half lengthwise. This should be accomplished using a sharp, smooth knife like a paring knife or a fruit knife with a smooth (non-serrated) blade. Then, holding an avocado half in your hand, cut between the skin and the flesh around the perimeter of the avocado half. This will loosen the avocado from its skin. Next, cut lengthwise slices in the avocado, making sure you go all the way down to the skin (you'll feel the resistance through the knife change). 

Repeat with the other half. Then use the knife to pull the slices out of the skin--it should surrender pretty easily. If you feel like the slice won't come out of the skin without breaking, don't push it too hard; just run the knife back around and if possible, try and wedge it underneath the skin to loosen it. 

Next, cut your tomato into wedge slices. For anyone who is apprehensive about cutting a tomato because you have had the unfortunate experience of having the tomato squirt out its seeds at you, try using a serrated knife. I use a steak knife, and it's changed my entire perspective on tomato slicing.

Your tomato slices should look something like this:

Take a round dinner plate or serving plate and arrange the tomato and avocado slices in an alternating circular pattern.

Then comes the easy part. Just sprinkle some feta over the plate (as much as you want), then drizzle olive oil (be very careful as you don't want to completely douse the food in oil--I use a bottle that has a pour spout with a small opening on it and just re-fill from my big bottle of olive oil), and sprinkle the plate with paprika, salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve and enjoy!!!!