One of my favorite summer salads.

One of my favorite recipes from last year. This year I added a little Aspall organic apple and cranberry Balsamic Vinegar and a table spoon of avocado oil, making this salad all the more splendid.

Citrus Cucumber Herb Salad

This wonderful, refreshing salad has everything you need for sophisticated summer dining. It is very easy to prepare, refreshing, nutritious, and hydrating.

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium Kirby cucumbers

1 pink grapefruit (I used organic)

1 cup cilantro leaves

1/8 teaspoon French Grey Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS (Makes 2-3 cups):

Peel the cucumbers lightly, enough so that some of the green still shows. Slice into thin rounds.

Peel and pith the grapefruit and slice into one-inch sections.

Remove the cilantro leaves from the stalks and chop the leaves slightly.

Add the dash of French Grey Sea Salt and mix.

You can use just about any grapefruit but I found the pink to be the best, in terms of flavor and nutrition. At just 100 calories, an entire grapefruit offers 120 percent of your daily Vitamin C requirements, plus more than 50 percent of your Vitamin A needs. Any type of cucumber can be used, but Kirby’s cucumber packs a little more nutrition than other types of cukes. Kirby’s cucumbers are a lean 30 calories each, and are packed with fiber, calcium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. Fresh cilantro adds so much flavor, and for almost no calories. I added the Roland French Grey Sea Salt, a product I am really liking these days. While it is a little on the pricy side, at about $5 for 8.75 oz., I am finding this product very worth the price, as it lasts a long time. However, any salt can be used for this salad if you do not have access to gourmet salts.

This salad stands alone — there is no need for dressing, which also saves one a lot of calories. If you want to dress this salad I would use a simple grapeseed oil and white or rice vinegar dressing to match the fruity flavors. Just be sure to use it sparingly: While a healthy fat, grapeseed oil is 40 calories per teaspoon.

Without dressing, this salad as about 70 calories per 1.5-cup serving and zero grams of fat, and is rich in Vitamins A, K, and C. You get about five grams of fiber per serving.