Do you add avocados to your salad?

I occasionally cut one up in chunks and add to any salad I’m making. This time, I was craving something completely new that revolved around the avocado sitting on my counter top.

This was a great side salad. Add more protein to it, like cheese, beans, grilled chicken, salmon, or steak, or tofu, and it will make an amazing main dish salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil (or more to taste)
• 1.5 tbsp lemon/lime juice (or more to taste)
• 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder (or more to taste)
• 1/3 English cucumber, diced, (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium size tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1-2 red bell peppers, diced
• 1/8 c finely chopped red onion
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 c baby spinach leaves (or other salad greens)
• 1/4 c cilantro, chopped

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic in a jar. Close with a lid and shake well.

Mix all vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Food photography question:

Anyone out there with food photography tips? My secret to good food pictures has been using day light. But now that the sun sets way too early, I have to take my pictures using my kitchen lights and the camera flash–like this one–and it looks terrible! Do you have any tips for an amateur food photographer? If you blog about food, when do you take pictures of your recipes?

Baby updates:

Baby Zayd is doing well. He’s three weeks old now, and I can’t believe that! I’m learning what it takes to get out of the house with a toddler and an infant, and I found it: patience, patience, more patience, and a lot of time! My best time was 1.5 hours! It’s not as easy to be online or write blog posts, but my intention is to have something new at least once a week, probably on Mondays or Tuesdays. I know things will slow down, but that’s going to take some time–and more patience!