Fresh and healthy, this light tasting green salsa is used to make and Avocado Cucumber Salad that you are going to love, all year long!

Avocado Cucumber Salad

Name: Avocado Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 ripe avocados (peeled, halved, and pitted); 1 large cucumber (peeled, coarsely chopped); 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion; 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; pinch of kosher salt; fresh ground black peppercorn to taste; lemon wedges

Here in the mid-western U.S., much of the lingering snow has given way to the brown leaves and blades of 2013, leaving a wanting of new green and the arrival of spring, in earnest. With that in mind, most of us are fully aware that Mother Nature moves to the beat of her own drum and all the wanting in the world won’t change her schedule. Except for in the kitchen. That’s where I found myself on Sunday morning, at our small cottage on a small frozen lake, in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin. It is here that I made the decision to hasten the arrival of green into our world, and I had just the means to do it: A ripe avocado and a fresh cucumber.

lemon zest is used to make this avocado cucumber saldad

Fresh lemon zest adds zest to any recipes!

Like many regions of the country, our winter here was less than hospitable. Our days of zero or below temperatures flirted with breaking historic weather records and simultaneously wreaked havoc on the patience of the populace.

The now visible earth and the cacophony of birds are the latest combination from Mother Nature, trying our patience as we mentally plan our gardens, knowing full well that planting season is still two months away, until Memorial Day.

This light and healthy avocado cucumber salad is super simple to make.

Thus, it’s days like these when I am especially grateful for the produce section of our nearby markets. I have to confess that I love grocery stores in general but my favorite section is the wide and colorful bins filled with often overpriced citrus, vegetables, and berries. It’s down this aisle that I meander, going from one side to the other, copping a feel of the melons, taking a whiff of the strawberries, and rolling the tomatoes between my hands. As I mentioned, some of the finds here are pricey but compared to the cost of the processed and bagged junk food just a few aisles over, it’s a no-brainer on which I will choose to spend my money.

Yesterday, with my son Joe manning the cart, I found a couple of avocados. They weren’t large but they seemed ripe and just soft enough that I was compelled to place a couple of them in our buggy. This seemed like a good decision as once their skins came off back at the cottage, their supple and light green flesh within was screaming with the soft and creamy allure that only a good avocado can offer.

This Healthy Avocado Recipe can be ready in minutes!

Spring is coming, that’s for certain. It is equally certain that the forces of nature seem to be dragging their feet in ushering in the season. Nonetheless, we had green yesterday and plenty of it. If you are ready for the green season to arrive but mother nature has other plans, this light lunch idea might help you get over the hump, as a bonus it makes for a delicious and healthy avocado recipe as well.

If you’re a fan of avocados, we’ve got plenty of other avocado recipes, such as our Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa, Mango & Avocado Salsa, and fo course our Guacamole Recipe, one of my personal favorites!

For more great light ideas you may be interested in these: