chopped salad with feta, lime & mint

i used to love baking due to the precision of it all.

you have to follow the instructions exactly for everything to turn out.

even though i still love to bake,

i'm learning to love the creativity that is needed in cooking.

take this salad for example.

if you're missing one ingredient - no big deal.

you want to swap out ingredients for something you like better? do it.

recipe via smitten kitchen



(serves 4 as appetizers or 2 as a meal-sized salad)

ingredients

3 cups chopped, crunchy vegetables
any kinds you like!
(i used celery, cucumbers & carrots)
1/2 cup crumbled feta
2 scallions, thinly sliced
(didn't have this, so i omitted)
1/3 cup well-toasted sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted
(i was generous with the sunflower seeds)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon chile powder or 1/8 teaspoon each your
choice combination of chile powder, cumin, cayenne or sumac
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

directions

1. mix the vegetables, feta, scallions, seeds and mint in a medium bowl.

2. whisk lime juice, olive oil, salt, spice and black pepper in a small dish
and pour over vegetables, tossing to evenly coat.

3. adjust with more salt or pepper as needed.
garnish with mint and crunch-crunch-crunch away!

honestly, this salad was a bit last minute.

i was hungry at like 10pm and had all the ingredients.

i thought it was great! one of those no-fuss recipes that you could

recreate anytime with lots of different ingredients!

i would double the mint next time! :)