Avocado, Watermelon, Basil and Spinach Salad

I’ll start by saying: there are some things that just taste like summer. I think that this salad is the epitome of summer. So make it now! Eat it outside on your patio (or stoop, or fire escape) whilst sipping on your favorite seasonal beer.

This salad came to be quite randomly. Once in a while, I’ll pick up an avocado or two without having a plan for them. Sadly, they usually go to waste because when I want to eat them, they aren’t ripe yet, and when I remember that I have them, they are ripe beyond edibility. Luckily, that wasn’t the case this week when I grabbed two avocados (and watermelon) from the produce section.

I did not intend to enjoy them together at all, but I had some basil on hand and was inspired by the watermelon-basil combination of my favorite margarita. So I set to work and gave my perfectly ripe avocados a truly delicious purpose.

Avocado, Watermelon, Basil and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
2-3 cups baby spinach
1 avocado, diced
2 cups watermelon (you can be as generous as you want here…)
5 basil leaves (again, as generous as you would like)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 2 limes
sea salt, to taste

Place your spinach into a large bowl. Dice your perfectly ripe avocado. Cut your watermelon into bite sized cubes. Slice the basil into ribbons. Add avocado, watermelon, and basil to the spinach. In a small bowl, combine your balsamic vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, and salt. You can add more balsamic vinegar if you like your dressings more acidic. Usually, I like to go a bit crazy with the vinegar, but I didn’t want the flavors of this salad to get drowned in balsamic. Whisk the dressing and pour over the salad. LIGHTLY mix to combine. Sadly, if you over mix, the avocados will get mushy and the salad will not be as beautiful anymore.

I have a feeling this salad will become a weekly indulgence. It’s so summery, colorful, and refreshing. It requires zero cooking, which is exactly my style once June rolls around. It’s also ridiculously healthy… so you can enjoy your  dessert of Pinkberry or 16 Handles guilt free!