Enter — the classic caprese salad. Each bite is a perfect flavor combination.

I used to make a caprese salad a few times a week when I lived in the Washington, DC area, but now that I’m in Vancouver, BC, I find access to fresh mozzarella is more difficult and pricier. Instead of the block of cheese I used to get back home, I find here the pre-sliced variety or little balls of mozzarella in a container. It’ll still do the trick, however. You can also purchase the mozzarella balls and prepare your salad in a bowl instead of stacked the way I do.

For my caprese salad, you will want slices of fresh mozzarella which you’ll sprinkle with some salt and Cavender’s, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.

Then wash some fresh basil and top each piece of cheese with an appropriately sized basil leaf. Slice a sturdy tomato and top each stack with a good bite-size piece. Sprinkle more salt and Cavender’s on top and drizzle a bit more olive oil.

In under 10 minutes, you’ve made yourself a beautiful meal, appetizer, side dish, or snack. These can be pre-made a bit but can get soggy from the tomato and olive oil, so may be best to keep everything de-constructed until right before you are ready to eat.

Total cook time, approximately 10 minutes to prep.

2 tomatoes
1 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon greek seasoning

Makes 4 servings.

Calories: approx 190 per serving