salad days
One of the things that I love most about summer is that I suddenly feel like eating salad all the time. In the winter, I tend to look upon lettuce with disdain. But once the heat hits, it's all I want. This solves all kinds of problems, I can tell you. First of all, it's much easier to maintain your girlish figure if you are nibbling on leaves all the time. Second, it provides a definitive answer to the ongoing lunch dilemma. (What to eat? Argh.) And third, it gives you a creative project. And lord knows I love a creative project.
So here's what I do. On the weekends, I buy a ton of veggies. I don't worry about what I will do with them, only whether I actually feel like eating them or not. Asparagus, green beans, avocado, oh my! Then I buy greens: spring mix, baby kale, arugula, you name it. I tend to buy bags or boxes of pre-washed, since I'm lazy in the summer months, but if you have a salad spinner and some elbow grease to spare, buy full heads of lettuce and have at it. When dry, tear into bite-sized pieces, throw in a big bowl and cover with a clean dish towel.
Next, I buy some good quality protein: farm-fresh eggs, top notch parmesan, thinly sliced pancetta. Anything that I know I'll look forward to seeing on my plate. And some fresh herbs never hurt: flat-leaf Italian parsley and green onions are my top picks. Nuts and seeds and sprouts are always fun too.
On Sunday, I do some simple prep work. I might chop some red peppers or roast some potatoes. And then, every day, I add a new element into the mix. I boil an ear of corn or bake chicken or slow-roast cherry tomatoes.
The key to all of this, of course, is having salad dressing on hand. If you don't, chances are good that you won't get around to making a salad. But if you do, it's all as simple as throwing some greens in a bowl, adding fun toppings (well, hello there chick peas!) and drizzling the whole mess with dressing.
This here is my standby. It's a strong mustard dressing, but I've found that if I add extra olive oil, it's milder and can be paired with all kinds of fun flavours. For inspiration, I often consult Bittman's New York Times list of 101 Summer Salads.
Everyday vinaigrette
Adapted from Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life
2 heaping tablespoons good quality mustard
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons olive oil, to taste
pinch of salt
1. Whisk together mustard and vinegar.
2. Add oil and whisk well to emulsify.
3. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.
Labels:
20 minute meals,
clean food,
lunch,
salads,
simple salad