Appocado Salad

Today you get a sweet, sweet webcam photo from my desk at work:

We have 4 ripe avocados and 1 day until we leave to visit our in-laws. This salad uses one avocado and is a big lunch for one or a side salad for two. It’s a tasty dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. My family often requests that I bring it for picnics. If you want to be fancy, you can serve it in hollowed-out avocado skins.

This recipe originally comes from my mother-in-law, and I seem to recall that her original version used pine nuts and expensive bottled mango dressing. I’ve “downgraded” to lemony dressing and sunflower seeds today, which is significantly cheaper. Critical for deliciousness is a generous dash of cracked pepper… it contrasts really well with the sweet apple and the creamy avocado.

• 1 Tart or crunchy apple – Granny smith, gala or fuji are best
• 1T crushed walnuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds
• 2T light Italian salad dressing
• 1T lemon or orange juice
• 1t lime juice
• Generous pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 Ripe avocado

1. Core and cube the apple into 1/2 inch pieces. Combine with the nuts or seeds.
2. Combine the salad dressing, orange and lime juices, and pepper. Add to the apples and seeds to
coat thoroughly.
3. Cut the avocado flesh into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the apples and stir gently until combined.
4. For a pretty touch, serve salad in the hollow halves of avocado skin.