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!!!
