Photo by Sarah Shatz

It's not exactly in vogue to celebrate monochromatic dishes. After all, the best diets are those that derive nourishment from varied and colorful foods, each hue representing a different cocktail of essential nutrients. But with this particular salad, a loss for the sense of sight is a gain for another: bite.

A forkful of pale green cubes forces your taste buds to suss out what your eyes have trouble identifying. You think to yourself, Have I stabbed peeled cucumber or skinned green apple? Teeth and tongue come around to the answer soon enough. The process forces you to think harder about flavors of common foods, flavors we occasionally take for granted. A Granny Smith apple suddenly seems sweeter after the possibility of slippery, grassy cucumber loomed.

Yet, while taste trumps sight, texture is a worthy wingman. Not only is biting down on pistachios, green raisins, and avocado engaging, but the use of disparate textures in this salad allows the taste of each inevitably unique bite to peak and fade differently. Some bites linger with the pineapple-like aftertaste of chewy green raisins, others cling to the thick tang of teal-veined cheese -- either way, you're moved to take another.

Shades of Green Chopped Salad by fortheloveofyum

Serves 2-3

For the Chive Dressing:

1 small clove garlic
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon crème fraîche
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
1 Hass avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 English cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pistachios
1/4 cup green raisins
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
Chive dressing (recipe above)
Salt and black pepper, if necessary
Chopped chives, for garnish, optional

See the full recipe at FOOD52.

What other greenery would you add to this monochromatic mix? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Like this post? See the Make This Tonight topic from last week: Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt.