This is one of the 2012 Eggland’s Best Recipe Contest Finalists!!

I love playing with recipes and true to my nature I have a hard time following one!  This one however, needs little adaptation and is delicious just as it is. I did use roasted garlic hummus in place of the tahini and one less egg to keep the salad a little on the lighter side. I also diced the veggies into smaller sized pieces which helped with both the serving sizes and the presentation. It also made the salad a little less “chunky”. This is a great tasting summer recipe that travels well for potlucks and bbq’s and best of all goes together quick and doesn’t require any cooking. Unless of course you consider boiling eggs cooking!

Makes 6 servings or about 2 cups

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, (or use 2 large tomatoes)
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame paste), well stirred (or use hummus if you can’t find tahini)
1 lemon, juice only, about 4 Tbsp.
2 tsp. Dijon mustard (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)
1 tsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pita chips, broken into small pieces (or whole, served on the side for “dipping”)

Hard boil the eggs, bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for 10 minutes, and then transfer to an ice bath for a few minutes before peeling (this will keep the shells from sticking)

In a medium serving bowl, combine the chopped eggs, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and parsley.

Warm the pita bread if you are serving it.  Combine the tahini, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, water, honey and salt. Either whisk or shake until the mixture is consistent. Toss the salad with the dressing (add as desired) add pita chips and serve it immediately. You can make the salad and dressing up to 4 hours in advance but don’t dress the salad until you are ready to serve. Season the salad with black pepper, if desired.

** try adding olives, couscous, chickpeas or even tuna.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Eggland’s Best