avocado cheese salad

I love adding cheese cubes , crumbled cheese , grated cheese to my salad. The day hubby sees cheese in the salad, he comments ” someone’s favourite is on the menu again!” Not that he wouldn’t eat the cheese, am sure he too loves it. Cheese makes the salad more fun…. can you imagine the mixture of different tastes…. its like music for the tongue. Enjoy this simple and lovely salad. Yes, avocados are still in season and not joking at all but now they are huge, they are actually the size of a hawaiian paw paw.  I am serious. 

I’m sure you’ll love this salad as much as I love it. Its filling, different and loaded with all the essential nutrients required. You can add veggies of your choice like broccoli, red cabbage, bell pepper, asparagus, other salad leaves. Go on let your imagination run riot. A definite plate of deliciousness for cheese lovers like me.

Some say that cheese is bad for health. My take is that in moderation its absolutely fine to enjoy cheese. Cheese making has been a part of human civilization for over 8000 years. Cheese is a rich source of calcium and Vitamin D and therefore not only good to maintain healthy bones but healthy teeth too. It contains Vitamin B which is good for a healthy skin. Cheese helps to reduce pre menstrual syndrome. And this is my favorite and a valid reason to gorge on cheese, helps to cure migraines. Cheese contains tryptophan which helps to combat insomnia. Some cheeses like cottage cheese are loaded with protein. Not only do you get a part of your daily protein requirement but helps in healthy hair growth.

I’ve seen many mums carrying cheese as snacks for their kids. Its best to carry ‘real cheese’ and not processed one for the kids as it contains colour, fats, hight salt and even sugar.

updated 7/03/2016
AVOCADO CHEESE SALAD
4 Servings

2 to 3 big lettuce leaves or a handful
1 big avocado or 2 small ones
1 big tomato or 12 cherry, plum, grape tomatoes
1 cup sliced cucumber
½ cup cooked sweet corn
1 medium carrot
8 to 10 olives, cut into half
10 to 12 walnuts, chopped into big pieces
½ cup tiny cheddar cheese cubes

Onion Lemon Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp orange juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coarse pepper powder
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp finely chopped onion

1. Make the dressing first by mixing all the ingredients. Let the onion marinate in the dressing for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. To prepare the salad, wash and dry the lettuce leaves. Tear into big pieces. Put it in a big bowl.
3. Peel and cut the avocado into chunks. Add a dash of lemon juice so it does not turn dark. Add to the bowl.
4. Add the cucumber slices, walnuts, sweet corn, cheese and olives.
5. Peel the carrot. Grate it into slices lengthwise or round slices on a mandolin or with a peeler. Then cut the slices into half. Or cut into sticks. Add to the bowl.
6. Cut the tomato in chunks or if you are using the small ones, cut into half or leave them whole.
7. Mix the salad and add the dressing.
8. Serve.