The festive colors of this Mediterranean salad brighten a holiday meal, and its light, refreshing character makes it a great counterpoint to hearty winter dishes. It should be served as soon as it’s made, or it can turn soggy. You can prepare the individual ingredients ahead of time and store them in separate bowls, tossing everything together just before serving.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, and seeds removed

　　Seeds of 1 pomegranate

　　1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, green parts only

　　1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

　　Juice of 1 lime

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

　　

Step 1

Cut the cucumbers into slices 1/4 inch thick. Put the cucumber slices in a bowl with all but 4 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds. Add the scallions, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil. Toss and season with salt.

　　

Step 2

To serve, divide the salad among bowls and top with the crumbled feta, a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds, and a few grinds of pepper.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 220.0 calories

　　180.0 calories from fat

　　20.0g total fat

　　7.0g saturated fat

　　35.0mg cholesterol

　　250.0mg sodium

　　3.0g total carbs

　　0.9g dietary fiber

　　0.7g sugars

　　10.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Reprinted with permission from Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life by Louisa Shafia. Text copyright © 2010 by Louisa Shafia. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Louisa Shafia is the founder of Lucid Food, an eco-friendly fine catering company based in New York City. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she has worked at Millennium Restaurant and Roxanne's in the San Francisco Bay Area, and at Aquavit and Pure Food and Wine in New York.