The weather has been teasing us with a few warm days as spring approaches, and leaves me craving the summer flavors of cooking on the grill and dining on the patio. This fresh, easy side pairs beautifully with grilled meats and reminds me that summer days are shortly ahead.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise (I used multicolor heirloom tomatoes from Trader Joe’s, but you can use any small tomato for this recipe)
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup bite-sized fresh mozzarella balls
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine halved tomatoes and diced cucumber in a medium sized bowl. Add basil.

2. Drizzle over olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

3. Add the mozzarella cheese and mix gently to combine. Serve chilled alongside your favorite grilled protein. Salad will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Our dinner to accompany this salad last night was rosemary garlic steak tips from Trader Joe’s and their French onion mac and cheese. Absolutely delicious!

When cooking the steak in our cast iron, I added a couple tablespoons of good quality butter and some minced garlic at the end to baste the steak tips in. We’ll definitely be buying both those steak tips and the mac and cheese again.