Greek Islands Simple Salad

A few months ago I read a fascinating article in the New York Times titled The Island Where People Forget to Die. The article left such an impression on me. It focuses on life on a little island called Ikaria, off the coast of Greece. The Ikarian people live extraordinarily healthy, long lives compared to much of the rest of the world. The people in Ikaria live well into their 90’s and 100’s. And when they do die, it’s not because of years of sickness or disease, like it often is here. Instead, they die peacefully of very old age. Everything from the food to the way of life on Ikaria is simple, and the benefits of this simple life have proven to be abundant.

So, it was no surprise to me to learn that the people of Ikaria eat a vastly plant-based diet.
For me, reading about the island of Ikaria was a wonderful reminder to live more simply, in every aspect of my life. So, feeling inspired by this article I started to be more mindful of making simple choices in life. Including my food choices. I started making this simple salad which, given its inspiration from the article, I named the Greek Islands simple salad. It has just two ingredients, tomatoes and cucumbers, which are lightly seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. In all its simplicity it is rich in nutrients and good for both our bodies and souls.

I’ve been using a combination of yellow campari tomatoes and kumato tomatoes, but any tomatoes will do. Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that the best, most nutritious foods come to us in the simplest forms. And this salad is a perfect example. Hope you enjoy.