Simple Eats: Italian-inspired salad

I love salad, no matter what the time of year – I could eat it for lunch every day. The trouble is, I get so bored of chicken salad (made with whatever I can find in the fridge) – and I find preparation so time consuming. So last week I went all Italian and made this simple and gorgeous salad.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a mixed punnet, so red and yellow)
• A quarter of a whole cucumber, diced
• 70g mozzarella, chopped
• Five basil leaves, washed and ripped
• 2 slices of Parma ham (or equivalent), ripped (optional)

Method

• Mix the tomatoes and cucumbers in a salad bowl
• Add the mozzarella
• Top with the Parma ham
• Garnish with basil

And that is all there is to it. You could even add some seasoning or some balsamic vinegar to dress, but I found the meat and cheese to be salty enough – and the strength of the basil (which I took from our garden) adds a lovely fresh flavour.