Since coming to California, I view my food tastes as having matured considerably … something you might hope would happen after two months of culinary school! To be honest, I view moving on from frozen yogurt to ice cream as the peak example of my increasing sophistication. Oh and also my new tradition of having a mini dessert every day. It’s all very French you see!!
However, not all my increasing maturity has been to do with dessert. Another key example has been getting more into simple dishes. We all know the theory that if you use good ingredients they can sort of speak for themselves … but I’ve always been such a condinment whore, not to mention consumer of over flavoured processed goods, that I found this hard to totally embrace. Sure I bought good produce (some of the time) but everything had to be smothered in hot sauce, mustard, parmesan … or sandwiched between some crusty bread. I used to explain to people that yes I liked avocado but ‘only in sandwiches’.
Recently though, all that has changed! Well, not all of it because I still do love mustard (and horseradish and parmesan.. and sandwiches). But I’ve also developed a kind of THING for simplicity. A great example of this has been one of my new favourite lunches of late – salads made from avocado, tomato and fresh herbs. Okay, they are then covered in some chopped olives (olives arent considered a condinment… are they?) and toasted walnuts, but they still. They have that air of simple sophistication. Especially when – gasp – they taste best with a dressing made from only olive oil and balsamic.
(Incidentally, as well making me feel like a beret wearing novelist every time I eat it, this is also the salad my health nut American best friend used to eat aaaall the time. Walking advertisement no?! And in case you want any specific details avocadoes are filled with healthy, and fresh, mono-unsaturated fats and vitamin E. SO good for skin, eyes and immunity! The only thing you want to be careful is making sure you eat the walnuts within a day or so of toasting them, as otherwise the fats can oxidise and turn a bit rancid).
Now, I realise this lunch idea is unlikely to have you emailing your loved ones and saying ‘ That Emilia of Wine and Butter.. she always has the most ORIGINAL ideas’. But, really I just wanted to post this more as inspiration to make your favourite seasonal salad for lunch this week (summer is, after all, the season to be doing it!). It’s so easy to get carried away thinking your food needs a million additions and seasonings and condiments and flavours… and believe me no-one loves strongly flavoured foods – and wacky combinations! – more than I. However, sometimes it’s so nice just to take a step back and eat simple things at their seasonal best. If this is a theory I can embrace than truly anyone can!!
PS- The reasons the salad in photo 1 looks so different to 3 & 4 is because the earlier shot was for photo purposes only. For photos 3 & 4 I filled the bowl in a realistic fahsion (with a total of 3 tomatoes, half an avocado and 1 /4 cup of toasted walnuts).
No-one should have to eat a salad with less than half an avocado.
Hiya! My name is Emilia. I'm a certified Nutrition Educator and Natural Chef. On Wine and Butter I post recipes, nutrition tips.. and sometimes just my food related ramblings.
My aim is to combine a fun and foodie lifestyle with healthy ways and traditional nourishing food.
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I now can only eat a whole avocado in one meal, its a darn expensive habit unfortunately but I guess my skin loves me!
Olives aren’t a condiment, they’re a food group!
So I’ve been doing a similar experiment eating a small dessert every day. Just had to mention it – I like your style.
A small dessert every day for you tooooo??? best comment EVER!!
I’m so proud of your maturing food tastes! I think mine are a constant work in progress… some preferences of mine are more sophisticated over others (still love fro-yo, and I certainly love my condiments, too). I’ve been really, really trying to embrace this type of salad you’ve posted here–using simple, fresh ingredients rather than relying on complex recipes for successful meals. It always tastes so good to me whenever I eat like this. I think the biggest problem for me, though, is finding those types of ingredients to focus on. Oh well… constant process! Loved this post, Em!
Hi Amy – HA – the power of condinments to brighten up poor food should never be underestimated! During my big veggie burger experiment I made these TOTALLY tasteless ones.. nothing that a bit of mustard and mayo couldnt totally solve though. BUT yes – learning to make simple meals is just so helpful in learning to really love good food and understand ingredients. I think the problem is they always sound so boring in my head (hard to get excited about a tomato salad, until you start eating it and realise how GOOD it is). But then Im bored in class and thinking what I fancy for dinner its so much eaiser to go crazy for big flavours. Or it is for me anyhow. BUT yes – working on that! xox
Yummo, looks like the perfect Summer celebrating salad for sure. Keeping it simple is perfect advice for cooking and enjoying food, Em!
I think simple salads like this are the perfect way to celebrate summer!
Hi Emilia,
I am sooo glad that you have posted this recipe…its simple and pro symbiotic, are you coming to my way of thinking ?
This salad not only tasty but it is full of anti oxidants to help the bodies immune system to detox. I love your simple dressing its my favorite, also a small tip, research has found that consuming tomatoes with olive oil actually increases the bodies absorption of lycopene and other nutrients. However i am not to sure about avocado as they are very high in fat, actually if you look at the fatty acid profile of avocados you will find the mono saturated fat, that you mention, is actually oleic acid, which actually acts as an appetite sup present .
Also from reading your posts i see you are going to try another detox diet. i have suggestion, like you Emilia i am also learning so much about health and nutrition, but i have found the one thing many of forget to do is Detox our Minds….i sometimes fear that you in your role as a, mother, daughter, friend, blogger, student, socialiser, wife, etc do not give enough time and effort to detox your brain..and that you may be heading for BURNOUT. It is very difficult to detox not because of the toxins in our bodies but because our brain is so dependent on stimulants such as caffeine, fructose, alcohol, and psychological such as endorphin’s released during exercise, so my question to you is that do many people detox because of the Placebo effect on the brain??????
Look forward to your detox post,
Wishing you all the Best (:
ps ….(sorry) forgot my wee tip… gently
heating or steaming your salad increases the anti oxidant levels found in the food…. (:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY EM! I am saying it all over the place today so get used to it, got a facebook account? He He!
I love your photos of this salad, especially 3 & 4, (photo 1 is great as well) they’re so full of vibrance and color. I love how close up the shots and focused the shots are. I think we can stage a bit too much and make the perfect looking plate, but sometimes it looks amazing the way you’re actually going to eat it. Real portions here.
I love avocados as well. My new favorite lunch is to smash up an avocado and throw it in a whole grain tort along with some of my lacinato kale salad. It’s a super easy lunch and soo healthy.
Your salad looks so good that I’m going to make it for lunch tomorrow. You have inspired me sweetie.
Have a blissful day.
Xoxo,
Jackie
Thank you so much love!! I cant wait to see you and the kids next Tuesday – it will be a blast! xoxo
So simple and so delicious. One thing I do not keep my fridge well stocked with is fresh herbs, which I must start doing! Aren’t tomatoes and avocados just lovely right now? PS. Never underestimate the delicious simplicity of half an avocado smashed on a nice hunk of good bread and topped with sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Now I’m making myself hungry!
Avocadoes NEED pepper right…?! That sounds heavenly right about now… maybe with some wholegrain mustard and pinenuts too! (oh no.. there I go with the condinments again…:( )
Hi,
Have to agree with all the other posts this recipe is so inspiring, made this last night,but instead of avocado(not a fan of supermarket avocado), i used a flakes of salmon, and grated cheese…..Fantastic….Thanks Emilia.
Ive never had salmon and cheese – it sounds so good though!!
this salad sounds amazing! the flavours, textures and colours in this looks beautiful!