“Belief in progress doesn’t mean belief in progress that has already occurred. That would not require belief.” -Aphorism 48 from Aphorisms by Franz Kafka.

It’s hard to feel optimistic with the current state of things but when I think about the history of the world, especially the history of the United States, it’s even harder. History is generally upsetting unless you are reading it from someone who really doesn’t want you to feel bad.

The above Kafka aphorism feels like a more accessible avenue for hope: Just cause it has been bad, doesn’t mean it can’t be good. I guess that’s where belief would come into play, because honestly things haven’t been great.

A few years ago, I remember reading in David Graeber and David Wengrow’s book The Dawn of Everything, that during the times of slavery in the United States that your average, non-enslaved, person talked about slavery like we talk about war now: that we all know it’s evil but that it feels impossible to change. So maybe there is some hope there, though it was not an easy or quick process ending slavery, (as you’ve probably heard about).

Anyway, this is a great summer salad dish, it’s refreshing, light, but can be filling thanks to the amount of veggies. I originally encountered the inspiration for this dish at a favorite local burger chain in California where it’s called the “Beach Body Salad” and includes beets (gross). My interpretation drops the beets and ups the seasoning on the chicken. I also changed the name to be less annoying. We’re all too insecure about our bodies. Whatever you got going on, somebody is into it.

If the tomatoes are too grainy or mushy or the avocados are too brown, just repurpose the chicken for something else and try again a different day. The salad shines through it’s veggies so they should be the highlight.

Ingredients

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tsp Kosher or Flake Salt
• 1 Tsp Paprika or Kashmiri Chile Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
• A Pinch MSG or Sazon
• 2 Medium Tomatoes (Heirloom if you can), Diced
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
• 1 Large Cucumbers, Peeled and Diced
• 2 Avocados, Chopped into Bite-Sized Chunks
• 1/4 Cup Parsley, Finely Chopped (Optional)
• 1 Lemon
• Olive Oil (use a good one for this if you have it)
• Salt and Pepper

Recipe

Serves: 2 -4. Total Time: ~40 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 425 F (~220 C) and drizzle a roasting pan with olive oil.
• Cut chicken breast into one inch cubes and mix with a tsp of olive oil, the salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, a several grinds of fresh pepper, and the MSG/Sazon.
• Once the oven has preheated, add chicken to the pan in an even layer, place in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Broil chicken for 5-10 minutes at the end for some color.
• Once the chicken is cooked to your preference, let it cool, and place it in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
• Prep your veggies as described in the ingredients section. The idea is for everything to be close enough to the same size, except for the onion which should be 1/4 – 1/8 the size of the other ingredients.
• Add a pinch of salt to the veggies, then mix and set aside.
• Once the chicken is cool enough (like room temp or colder) add it to the veggies. Add parsley, a tbsp of olive oil, the juice of 1/2 of the lemon, a big pinch of salt, and a couple grinds of fresh pepper. Mix well, taste, and adjust all the elements according to your preference.
• Serve as is or with hummus and/or fresh bread.