One of my favorite things to eat is Caprese salad. Which is weird because I really don’t like raw tomatoes, but I digress. This is the salad I eat frequently when I’m attempting clean eating, and it’s what I make and eat every day during our annual week at the beach when I need a light lunch. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week and gets better and better over time. It can be tweaked easily for a large crowd, or if you’re behaving, you can omit the cheese (boo!). My version has a couple of secret ingredients that you can leave out if you can’t find them at your store, but try not to. It’s crazy easy, and you’ll feel really accomplished for making something so delicious and healthy in just a few minutes.
Ingredients:
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Fig-Infused Balsamic Vinegar
- Herb Tony Chacheries Seasoning (the bottle with the blue on it)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Fresh basil (or basil that has been frozen in olive oil)
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Onion (optional – I like to use purple onion when I use it)
Directions:
Dice the cucumbers. I cut them into lengthwise quarters and then cut those quarters again. 
Cut the tomatoes in half. This is the most time-consuming part.
Cut the mozzarella into small pieces. When I can find it, I use the small fresh mozzarella balls and leave them whole.
Dice the onion into tiny pieces.
If you’re using fresh basil, chop the leaves into small pieces. Basil is my favorite herb and I tend to add a LOT of it. I always have extra basil left over. Pro tip: I chop those pieces and freeze in olive oil in an ice cube tray so the next time I make this salad or an Italian dish, it’s there in my freezer waiting for me.
Add salt, pepper, herb Tony’s, and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. If you’re using the frozen basil cubes, use less olive oil.
Add a couple of dashes of the fig infused vinegar. Then add 4-5 of the balsamic. You may have to adjust your oil-vinegar ratio a bit until it is right. I never measure it-I just keep adding one or the other until it tastes balanced.
Toss all of this goodness together in a bowl. You can serve immediately, but I highly suggest letting it all marinate for at least a few hours. Overnight is even better. Doesn’t that look amazing? You know you want some.
Enjoy and repeat!
