Summer in a Bowl - Asparagus & Zucchini Salad

This is one of those "throw together" salads for when it's too hot to do much work.  I realize that asparagus is really a Spring vegetable, one of the first to arrive after a long winter.  But I couldn't resist buying some of the skinniest asparagus ever!  They're perfect for eating raw, but if you can only find thick asparagus, you can use your vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus lengthwise into long skinny strips.  This is a light salad, allowing the sunny flavors of the fresh herbs and vegetables to shine.

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves 2 as a side dish

Ingredients:
1 small spring onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 bunch super thin asparagus, cut into 1" pieces (about 1 cup)
1/2 small zucchini or other summer squash, julienned (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1-2 tbsp, chopped fresh basil
1-2 tbsp, chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1/2-1 lemon
Splash of really good extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Place the chopped and julienned vegetables and herbs in a serving bowl along with the grated cheese. Squirt the lemon juice and drizzle the oil over the vegetables. Grind some black pepper.

2. Gently toss.  I like to use my hands for this step, but spoons will do too.

PS leftovers were great in an omelet the next morning