Grape Tomato Salad with Apricots and Fresh Herbs

Nutrition at a glance

-Tomatoes have become such a part of our food culture that they are often overlooked as nutrient rich superfoods. But tomatoes stack up against almost any fruit or vegetable with their levels of antioxidant phytochemicals.

-The intake of tomatoes has been strongly linked to promoting heart health, and has been shown to lower LDL, or bad cholesterol.

-Tomatoes are also rich in the mirconutrients vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, an essential electrolyte.

-Apricots are rich in vitamin A and carotenes, both of which have been shown to have antioxidant effects within the body.

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Once I start the summer salads rolling, I am almost overwhelmed by the endless possibility of combinations. I’ve probably made a grape and / or cherry tomato based salad a hundred times in my life, but never had I thought to combine them with fresh apricots – until the two happened to be sitting next to each other on my counter.

One thing I get in the unfortunate habit of doing when I cook is establishing a framework for what certain dishes “should” contain and “should” taste like based on a version I may have eaten at some point previously, or a preconceived notion I happen to be holding for some unknown reason. This is pointless and limiting. A tomato and feta salad does not have to taste like the tomato and feta salad you had that one time in Italy because that is the standard. Forget the standard and make what tastes good. Experiment with combining new flavors and different ingredients. This salad could be great with tomatoes and cherries, or tomatoes and peaches. Cooking is creative and limitless, so explore.

Ingredients

-2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

-2 apricots, chopped

-1/2 cup fresh sheep’s milk feta, crumbled

-2 T fresh basil, chopped

-2 T fresh parsley, chopped

-2 green onions, green part only, chopped

-1 clove garlic, minced

-Olive oil

-salt and pepper

Total time: 15 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Combine tomatoes, apricots, feta, basil, parsley, green onion, and garlic. Stir to mix. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.