The deeper into summer we get, the more I am craving summer fruits and vegetables. The crisper and juicer, the better.

When I was home in Connecticut a few weeks ago – for a much-needed, yet socially-distanced & masked visit to my parents’ house – I took advantage of a quiet kitchen and a wide-open backyard to whip up & enjoy some foods. Cooking at my parents’ house absolutely hits differently than cooking in my NYC kitchen, despite my apartment’s kitchen being HUGE by NYC apartment standards. (No exaggeration, I can stand in the middle of the kitchen and not touch anything if I stretch both of my arms out. Nothing short of miraculous!) It’s a more peaceful and pleasurable experience.

Feeling invigorated, I whipped up some smashburgers and this salad, with my mom coming in hot with her potato salad, which is better than your mom’s potato salad. (Don’t @ me. Facts are facts.) This salad – admittedly, inspired by an ad I saw on Instagram for Stop & Shop toting their recipe for it! – hit all of those crispy and juicy notes I was craving. The addition of feta gave it a hint of saltiness, while the mint added a mellow coolness.

This is a super easy recipe to pull off, and it’s great for keeping in your fridge for when you need a quick meal side or a snack. It’s been a rough few months, embrace dishes that have minimal effort involved.

Cucumber Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 4 cups watermelon, seeds (if any) removed & cubed; this equates to roughly 1/4 of a watermelon chunk you’d see at the grocery store.
• 1 large English cucumber, peeled & chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup mint, roughly chopped

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

Before We Get Started…

• You can substitute a regular large cucumber for an English cucumber, just remember to remove the seeds before dicing!

Directions:

1.) In a large bowl, toss together all salad ingredients.

2.) In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until emulsified.

3.) Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly to combine. Serve immediately! (See? Told you this was an easy recipe.)

NOTE: Salad can be kept in fridge for up to 7 days. This is reported back from my parents that told me they ate the leftovers of this salad seven days after I made it. Ha!