Mediterranean Chopped Salad

A chopped (Israeli) salad is one of my favorite things! In my house, we eat a simplified version of this often times with eggs for breakfast or as a side with our dinner. It is fresh, crunchy and is a salad that doesn’t include lettuce!

Ingredients:

• 1 small cucumber; diced

• 1 bell pepper (I used half green, half yellow, but you can use whatever color you want);

• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes (or one large tomato cut in small cubes); cut in fourths

• 1/4 of a red onion; diced

• 1 handful (6-8) of kalamata olives; diced

• 1/4 cup of feta cheese; diced (I like Israeli feta because it is a little creamier and not as salty)

• Optional: A few marinated artichokes/ artichoke hearts; chopped

• 1/2 tsp of za’atar

• 1 (generous) tbsp of olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix all of the veggies and cheese together. Sprinkle on the za’atar, salt, pepper and oil and mix well. This is delicious topped with grilled salmon, shrimp, chicken, or if you really like cheese, grilled halloumi!

You can really make this your own, adding and taking out different ingredients, but keeping the base (cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes) the same.