This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fresh from Florida for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Spring is my favorite season. It’s a little different here in Florida compared to up north. The leaves from our huge oaks actually fall in the spring, so the kids get to jump in all the leaves. Most days are filled with sunshine, the average rainfall is light, and the temperature is a warm 80 something during the day and cool comfortable 60 something at night. If it was’t for all this pollen, it’d be almost utopia down here.
The warmer weather also means we start to do even more outdoor activities. This weekend my son has a long weekend, and we’ll be making our first camping trip in our little rehabbed camper. We like to call it our first vacation house, well mobile vacation house that is.
Today I’m making a list of all the things we’ll need as well as making a few dishes ahead of time to put in the fridge. One of the things I made a big batch of was this little cherry tomato salad. It’s simple and easy to make and works well as a healthy make-ahead side for busy weeknights and weekends.
This salad is made simply with just cherry tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, onions, fresh herbs balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can add more vegetables or cheese if you like, but we just like to keep it simple, especially when there’s a crying baby at your feet.
It’s incredibly easy to eat fresh, local fruits and vegetables here in Florida because we have so many fruits and vegetables available year round. The mild Florida temperatures means we have fresh fruits and vegetables all year long. Eating these fresh, seasonal items means foods are fresher and tastier, and the nutritional value is optimized. It encourages a diverse diet that is often more economical and harmonizes with nature’s production cycle.
To find the freshest foods, make sure to look for the Fresh From Florida logo shown below. That way you’ll be sure that the produce you’re purchasing is local and fresh. You can find this logo in the produce department, the seafood department and in your favorite local Florida restaurants.
So what’s in season right now? Lots of stuff! In March we have fresh:
For this recipe I used fresh Florida Tomatoes. The Florida tomatoes are really cheap right now, so I’ve been incorporating them into lots of different salads and other recipes. They are super sweet and flavorful, and are just as wonderful in a simple salad like this as they are cooked in soups, stews and chili. I also love to eat fresh tomatoes in a simple sandwich with just a smear of freshly made mayo. It’s so good!
When trying to use up the abundance of beautiful cherry tomatoes today, I put together this simple salad for dinner. This makes a wonderful side to any lunch or busy weekday dinner.
You can head over to the Fresh from Florida site and get even more recipes for fresh Florida tomatoes, as well as all the other produce we have in season right now. Be sure to check back with the site often, because recipes are added and updated seasonly. And also be sure to check for the Fresh From Florida logo on your next shopping trip to make sure you’re food selections are fresh, healthy and support your local community.
Be sure to connect with Fresh from Florida on Twitter and Fresh from Florida on Facebook too!
Yield: Serves 4
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.