Hi there internet friends! How is your week going? Getting excited for the upcoming weekend? Any plans in the works?? I’ve got nothin’ goin’ on! Notta!
Tom and I have been so busy lately! Between the kitchen reno, spring yard work and anything else we can think up, we haven’t had a weekend to just sit back, relax and smell the roses. This is kind of our “m.o.” though. We create work for ourselves. We are kind of kooky like that. We can’t sit still for long. I used to be a lot better at sitting still, but being married to Tom for so long, he’s kinda rubbed off on me. He’s the guy on the beach in the summer who sits in a chair for all of about 10 minutes before he gets up and says, “ok, what can we do now?” Ugh! So I’m declaring this weekend “smell the roses weekend” at the Dwyer house!!
I’m hoping for some nice weather so we can maybe grill out. While Tom does the grilling, I’ll do some great sides. I’ll have to make Tom my three bean casserole because it’s his all time favorite, but I’ll be making one of my favorite sides for myself, today’s Mediterranean Cucumber Salad. I make a few different cucumber salads, but this one is at the top of the list because it’s a hearty salad filled with healthy ingredients. I love the different textures going on in this salad. It’s a simple recipe of English cucumbers, red onion, chick peas, Kalamata olives, grape tomatoes and feta cheese tossed with a light lemon vinaigrette dressing. It’s perfect with anything that comes off the grill!
Hope you guys enjoy it. Have a fabulous weekend! See you back at the BHK on Monday!
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 2/3 cup Kalamata olives halved
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced and roughly chopped
- 1 15.5 oz. can chick peas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onion, chick peas and feta. Toss lightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until well blended.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
This is the kind of salad I could eat every day for lunch. So much flavor!
Yes, I agree Karen! It’s a favorite!
Now I know exactly what to do with that hunk of feta cheese in my fridge, because this salad looks like perfect weekend lunch fare…a little grilled chicken on the side, and I’m in heaven. Have a great weekend!
Yay! This is so easy Kate and would be perfect with a little grilled chicken! Enjoy your weekend!
This is such a beautiful salad. I love all the colors and flavors. Good luck with the kitchen reno…very exciting, but so tough to go through the process.
So happy it’s done Kathy! Now, we’re just enjoying it! This is one tasty salad! Balances out all the sweets in my diet!
Sounds like Tom and I have in common our un-ability to sit still! Boy is always yelling at me to take some time to relax and “smell the roses”, but I just don’t know how to do that… which is exactly why I need a beach vacation, where I’m forced to do nothing. ;) Anyways, love this salad, Mary Ann! So light and refreshing, yet packed with great flavors and textures! Perfect for BBQ season or just as my lunch! Yummm! Cheers, dear- hope you both stick to R&R this weekend! <3
I could tell that about you Cheyanne! Tom would love hanging out with you I’m sure! This salad is one of my favorites! Packed with healthy ingredients to balance out all my sweets! You enjoy your weekend too!
The man in my house is not a big salad fan, but I know he will like this one. Enjoy your smell the roses weekend Mary Ann and have fun.
Oh good! I’m looking forward to doing just a little relaxing! Thanks. Hope you have a great weekend too!
Oh wow- I’ve made something similar in the past, but I have to say it… your’s looks way better. Great idea!
Thanks Sarah! I’m sure yours was fabulous too! Enjoy the weekend!
Yum, Mary Ann – love everything about this dish! I could eat the whole bowl. Soo good. Hope you enjoy the roses this weekend! Sit, relax and get absorbed in a good book.
I’m looking forward to doing just that! And a little knitting too! My knitting has been put on the back burner since I started the blog, which makes me sad because it’s a great way for me to relax! I’m starting back up! You enjoy your weekend too Geraldine!
Ha! I’m the same way. I can’t sit still for longer than five minutes, and I’m always looking for something else to do.
This salad looks so refreshing and bright with flavor! Pinned.
Seems like most people are like Tom. This is a tasty one Nicole. Hope you enjoy! Happy weekend!
Beautiful salad and yes, great minds do think alike!! :)
Yes! I just chuckled when I saw your post today! Putting yours on my list of must trys! It looked wonderful!
This salad looks perfect for grilling season, Mary Ann! I love love love kalamata olives! Now that you have the salad made, you can chill out in a chaise lounge and let Tom be a busy bee and do all the grilling!
Yes! I love anything with olives! Tom not so much, but he’ll be happy with the baked three bean casserole! Hope you have a great weekend too! Maybe Chris can make you dinner and you can relax in the chaise lounge!
Enjoy your weekend of nothing Mary Ann! I love those weekends and am adept at being a perfect slouch. After a kitchen reno you deserve much more than one weekend to yourselves! I’m loving your photos today. I feel like I can pluck one of those red tomatoes right off the screen and boy do I wish I could. The brininess of the olives combined with that dressing sounds so, so good!
Oh, I will Cathy! I am totally pooped! Today I was on the phone with the Comcast people and at their store over 3 times because of equipment issues! UGH! I need a weekend to just relax! Glad you’re loving this salad! It’s a favorite of mine! Enjoy! Have a great weekend!
This salad looks absolutely delicious! I love Mediterranean salads, and all the colors in this recipe makes me want to go make this right now. I have never eating a Mediterranean salad with chickpeas, but it sounds soooo yummy! I am adding this to my list of salad recipes. Yum!!!
Thanks Amanda! I hope you enjoy it if you try it! Thanks so much for commenting!
Hello, dream lunch! I could very happily eat this salad every day :).
I’m glad Laura! So could I! Now, if I could only talk my husband Tom into it!
This kind of salad reminds me of my time in Israel – it’s SO delicious, and my dad makes something similar a lot, but shhh yours looks WAY better, haha! I’ve got to whip this up soon. I’ve been having MAJOR mediterranean food cravings recently!
Ha! Poor Dad! I’m sure his is just delicious! Thanks so much for commenting Rachel!
Oh my! This is totally my kind of salad and flavors, Mary Ann! So vibrant and delicious with crunch, creamy and a bit of sweet from the tomatoes! I’ll take it! Sloooow is my mantra.. Indeed, Rob is very similar to Tom, but in the past few years, he’d decided he needs more slow time. I find I need at least one day on the weekend with nata planned so I can recuperate. No doubt the yard keeps our weekends packed attempting to keep up with weed pulling and planting in the Spring time… I HEAR you! Enjoy your weekend my dear!
All nice healthy ingredients in this one Traci. Ever trying to achieve that balance! Hope you and Rob enjoy your weekend!
Well I am happy to say that I will be spending the weekend with my hubby. He has been in Shanghai/Beijing for the past 4 weeks. . .so his return back home (for two weeks and then back to Shanghai!) has been well anticipated. Glad to see that you and Tom are taking some time for R&R. It’s important to have these days. And this salad. . .a perfect way to kick off a day of rest. Greek salads are my absolute favorite (and a regular craving of mine).
Yay Lynn! I’m sure you’re counting the minutes until he gets home! Hope you both have lots of fun together!
These are all my favourite flavour. We eat a lot of salad so I know this one will be made very soon in our house.
Thanks for Sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Yay! You’ll love this one! I love it because it’s so flavorful and so easy to put together! Thanks for commenting!
Oh yum, Mary Ann! This salad looks delicious! This will be perfect when my cucumbers and tomatoes are ready in the garden … if they don’t drown this week in all the rain we’re getting here in Virginia! Enjoy your weekend :)
I hope not Mary Beth! This is a favorite summer salad of mine! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for some nicer weather this week!
I hope you had a relaxing weekend, Mary Ann! I am in need of one of those :) This salad looks amazing and perfect for warmer weather. All those fresh ingredients- yum!!
It was really relaxing Jessica. Thanks! Everyone needs to unplug every once in a while and just enjoy. Hope you have a great week. Enjoy the salad!
This is a great summer salad right there. Will be perfect at any picnic. I hope you enjoyed your weekend of ‘nothing’
Oh, I really did Zainab! Hope you enjoyed yours too! Yes, this salad is perfect for picnics!
I have been in a salad rut lately and am now feeling reinspired after seeing this post. I love that we’re heading into summer produce season and cannot wait to get my hands on some fresh veggies from the farmer’s market to whip up this recipe!
Yay Candice!! This is a fave of mine! The ingredients all go really well together and the colors always look great!
I seriously make this once a week during the summer with veggies from my garden. Fantastic recipe!
I’m so happy you gave the recipe a try and enjoy it Lisa!! Thanks so much for the comment!