Crunchy Cucumber Tomato Salad

This Crunchy Cucumber Tomato Salad is a staple in our home from spring until the end of summer and I hope you enjoy this simple salad too! 

When I think of easy, delicious, refreshing, and nutritious salads for the summer, this is the one that comes to mind.

Both cucumbers and tomatoes—the stars of this recipe— are both hydrating vegetables, accessible in the summer months, and rich in antioxidants. Additionally, cucumbers are one of the easiest vegetables to grow (in my opinion).

Cucumbers contain vitamin K, potassium, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, copper, vitamin C, and magnesium. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants, most notably lycopene. In addition to chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, I like adding zesty red onion, tons of fresh dill and parsley, and occasionally castelvetrano olives.

What I enjoy most about this salad is the simplicity and flexibility—it takes about 10 minutes to throw together and can be enjoyed as a side dish or an entree.

To make this an entree dish, boost the fat, protein, and starchy carbohydrate(s) by following the Foundational Five system for a balanced plate. A few ideas for you to increase the balanced meal components include: avocado, edamame, grilled shrimp, fish, smoked salmon, chicken, tofu, boiled eggs, hemp seeds, cooked quinoa, and the list goes on.