Sometimes on hot summer days the idea of firing up the stove or eating anything hot just does not appeal to me. Well, let’s be honest, even if it’s not hot, some days you just want to veg out. Speaking of veg – we joined a CSA this summer through R’s work and have been getting bi-weekly deliveries of farm fresh organic produce courtesy of Katchkie Farm. It’s like having a veggie Christmas all summer long! Every time I get a peek in their big green bag and pull out veggie after veggie after veggie, my mind wanders with all the different combinations and things I could come up with to make the best of the batch.

This week we had (among many other veggies) the most giant melon I’ve seen in a long time, some to-die-for fresh tomatoes and a cucumber. I also have this very sad attempt at windowsill gardening and decided I should try to incorporate this basil so it wasn’t a total loss…

I threw them all together and make a summery salad that’s light and refreshing.

What you’ll need: 

• 1/2 of a giant melon – or a small one from the grocery store
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 lime juice
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 TBS chopped fresh basil

I opted to salt the cucumber while I prepped the rest of the salad. Once I put everything together, I knew it was going to get pretty watery so I thought salting the cucumber ahead of time might cut down on the extra water by a bit. – Cut up the cucumber and place in a colander. Add salt and let it sit in sink while you cut everything else.

Cut melon and tomatoes into bite-size pieces. In a separate bowl or mug, whisk together agave, lime juice, vinegar and sesame oil. Add cucumbers to melon and tomatoes and add dressing. Toss basil on top and stir everything together. Cover the salad and let it sit for about an hour so the flavors can combine. (If you can’t wait that long, it’s fine to eat immediately as well).

Enjoy!