Fresh Summer Salad

...this salad is fresh and simple to make. Entire prep time is while rice cooks...so you can rock it out for last minute side dish...or do what I do and pair it was some "everything" crackers or flatbread and some white wine on a hot summer night.
It's similar to Tabbouleh...so if you're not a fan of parsley, stop reading!

Ingredients:
1 package Rice Pilaf (I use the Near East brand)
1 bunch fresh curly parsley
2 scallions
1 cucumber
hand full of tear drop tomatoes
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
sea salt

Cook rice using directions from package...meanwhile cut cucumber, tomatoes, scallions. Chop parsley. Cut lemon in half.
When rice is done cooking I spread it out on a sheet pan with parchment paper on it and put it in freezer for 7 minutes. This way it's perfectly cooled down if you're making this on the fly!
In medium bowl put cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and parsley...add rice (fold parchment long ways, pick up and you can very easily spoon in)...squeeze lemon into bowl, add olive oil, & 3 pinches salt (use a good sea salt) and mix up.


Taste it. Always taste your food! Especially something like this that will always need to be "tweaked"...I always end up adding more lemon juice and maybe some more salt...and if you think it needs more color you can always add more tomatoes.
I love this salad! I can barely if ever wait to serve it...most times my "taste" turns into some huge spoonfuls!! Today I made it as I wrote this and literally stopped writing, ate hearty bowl full with flat bread! Such a good lunch!! And since my husband is being more heart conscience this is a perfect side dish for salmon, or midnight snack for him!
*Sorry I don't have picture of finished product...I ate half the bowl before I remembered to take picture!
Enjoy & happy summer!