Avocado / Pear / Pepper / Mozzarella Salad

A light coating of mushed avocado makes everything better.

Two incredibly delicious salads in a row. I'm ready for summer.

This one came from a friend who brought it to a potluck. My first reaction was puzzlement at the discovery of each component. The avocado was obvious, and combining it with peppers was intriguing but also apparent. But then I took a bite... is that a pear? There's pear in this salad, and it belongs perfectly. And what's this completely different texture in the next bite? Fresh mozzarella? No, it couldn't be. But oh yes, it was.

The contrast of flavors and textures makes this salad addicting... I could eat a very large portion of it in one sitting. I made it for dinner with a side of tempeh, and it was perfect.

The Recipe:
2 red/yellow/orange bell peppers, chopped
2 green-skinned pears, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
2 egg-sized balls of fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 tb fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 lemons, juiced
2 tb olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix everything together. Don't worry about keeping the avocado intact... a bit of mushed avocado is part of the dressing.

The Verdict:

Overall grade: A+

Overall reason: Light yet decadent. So many flavors and textures.

Time to prepare: 10 minutes

Husband quote: "I know I said you should always make that other salad. But if you ever don't make that one, you should make this one."

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