Tomato, Avo and Mozzarella Salad (Caprese Deluxe)

Happy New Year!!! For all of you who are trying to start 2014 off with healthier, lighter foods, this salad is for you (though the mozzarella doesn't help a ton). I love a good caprese salad, and I love avocado, so this just plumps up an old classic!!!

Total Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Total Cook Time: 0 minutes!! (it's a salad!)

What you will need:

1 package of baby spinach (I use the "mini" bags since the spinach isn't the star of the show and there are only two of us eating)

1 or 2 tomatoes (if your tomatoes are particularly small, use 2, but I recommend starting with just one and seeing if you want more)

2 balls of fresh mozzarella (I use the medium-sized balls fresh-packed in water)

1 hass avocado

2 large leaves of fresh basil (you can use dried too if it's handy)

good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegars

sea salt

black pepper

First, divide the baby spinach into two bowls (or however many people you are serving). It should just form a light bed. 

Next, dice your tomatoes in a large dice. The end goal will be for all of the components of the dish to be roughly the same size dice.

Now, cube your avocado.

Drain two mozzarella balls in a paper towel and cube to similar sizes of the avocado and tomato.

Place the avocado, tomato and mozzarella in the bowls on top of the spinach. Chiffonade* your basil so it's in tiny little ribbons:

*chiffonade: best way to cut basil or other fresh large leafed herbs. Stack the leaves, roll them up, then slice horizontally to create ribbons. Longer ribbons can be created by slicing lengthwise down the leaves.

Sprinkle on top of the salad, then drizzle olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper over to taste.

Serve, and enjoy!!!

Florida Avocado Guacamole

Florida avocados are different only in size and shape from their more expensive cousins, the Hass avocados. I've also read that Florida avocados have a little less fat in them than the Hass avos do, but the taste difference is minimal. This is a quick dip/spread that is full of good fats, veggies, and flavor!

Total Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Cook Time: NONE!

What you will need:

1 Florida avocado, very ripe
1 tomato (vine ripe is good)
1 lime
1/4 of an onion
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
chili powder, to taste
salt, to taste

Remove your avocado from the skin. The easiest way to do this is to cut it in half, remove the pit, and then use a knife to loosen the avocado from the skin.

Dice your tomato and 1/4 of a sweet onion, and add to the bowl with the avocado.

Add all of your spices, and salt and add chili powder to your own tastes. Squeeze in the juice of the lime.

Mash and combine using two forks.

Serve, and enjoy!

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!!!!