Thelma's Chicken Salad

Truthfully, I have always been a little bothered by recipe titles that contain an arbitrary name. What's the point? I'm sure "Sally" or "Ruth" meant something to the original recipe holders, but as recipes get passed down the line, the name becomes minorly annoying. Like a last-ditch effort at homey verisimilitude; an effort to convince someone, somewhere, that this recipe was developed in a warm, cozy kitchen by a lady with a frilly apron and a lot of love.

Well, turns out, I am now guilty of the practice and I finally understand why. For me, it's a way of distinguishing a specific preparation from all others. Especially with a dish as multifarious as chicken salad, which has as many different combinations as cooks who make it, you need a little signal to remind you just which chicken salad recipe this is.

And just which recipe is it? It's the one I grew up on--simple, quick, made of (mostly) pantry staples, and ready in a flash. Rest assured, there was most certainly a Thelma in this story, who made--among other delicacies--this precise chicken salad.

Thelma's Chicken Salad

serves 1-2; ready in 15 minutes if you have leftover chicken already cooked, closer to 30 if you're gonna cook it yourself

1 chicken breast (bone-in or boneless, doesn't matter)

1 hard-boiled egg (instructions below)

1 stalk celery, diced

1 scallion, sliced, or 1 Tbsp-ish of finely diced onion (Thelma says this is optional)

1/4 cup mayonnaise*

1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish

salt and pepper

1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil and drop your chicken breast in. Cutting it in half will speed up your cooking time. I find bone-in split breast a little cheaper at the store, so go with that if you wish. As a bonus, drop in the ends of your celery, a quarter of an onion, and whatever other veg clippings you have; by the time your chicken is cooked, you'll have a couple cups of broth to use for another occasion. Boil for 15-20 minutes, until you can cut open the meat and see no pink. Remove from water and run under cool water. As soon as you can handle it comfortably, shred the meat and toss in a bowl.
2. Meanwhile, in a smaller pot, cover one egg with water and bring the water to a boil. Once it boils, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes exactly. Drain and drop in a little bowl of ice water. Peel and dice egg, and add to chicken bowl.
3. Now, add celery, relish, and mayo and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. David had his on a nice sandwich (with some homemade potato chips); I had mine in a scoop over a bed of greens. Tasty either way.

*So maybe you, like me, are not a huge fan of mayonnaise. I don't know, something about of the taste of it, the coating inside my mouth, I can't really handle it as a dressing for salads like this one. I happen to really like a product called "Nayonnaise" put out by Nasoya (the tofu people), which is a soy-based spread. I can switch it out with mayo on most occasions and never notice the difference. You can also try thickened yogurt or sour cream, though the flavor will be a bit more assertive.

Wednesdays With Abby: Warm Cabbage and Quinoa with Walnut Pesto

Well, it's Wednesday again and you know what that means: no roommate to cook for. I need a one-serving meal with minimal dishes and a similar amount of effort.

If my record reveals anything, it's that grain salads are my go-to meal these days. I can't help it, especially with quinoa. It cooks in less than 10 minutes and it's a complete protein! Plus the box calls it an "ancient grain." Doesn't that make my dinner sound epic?

Meanwhile, there's withering lettuce and parsley in my fridge--sad remnants of my CSA and farmer's market glory days, now over. Somewhere in my memory, I remembered a pesto made of these very ingredients. (Google helped a little.) I decided to bulk up the nutritional content of my pesto by bringing walnut oil and walnuts to the party, simultaneously adding depth to the mixture and flood my system with Omega-3s and antioxidants. No small feat for an average Wednesday evening.

So if you don't go for the whole cabbage/quinoa thing, at least make the pesto. It's pretty good tossed with pasta or salads, spread on sandwiches, and whatever else one does with normal pesto.

Warm Cabbage and Quinoa Salad with Walnut Pesto

serves 1; takes about 30 minutes; totally stolen (and bastardized) from various sources

For the pesto:

1 small head (or 1/2 large head) romaine lettuce

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 clove garlic

3-4 Tbsp walnut oil (olive oil will sub fine)

1/4 cup walnut halves

splash lemon juice

salt and pepper

For the salad:

1 cup finely sliced or chopped cabbage

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1 Tbsp thin sliced red onions or scallions

feta, goat, or other cheese

1. Place lettuce, parsley and garlic in food processor and pulse until broken down. Add oil a little at a time until it reaches a thin consistency (you may not need it all). Now add splash of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and walnuts. Process until smooth and uniform, about 30 seconds. Season to taste and/or add oil to reach desired consistency. Store extra, covered, in the refrigerator.
2. First, put your quinoa on to cook. Second, film a small skillet with olive oil and set over medium heat. When pan is hot, toss in cabbage and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Toss just 1 minute or so, until cabbage is warm but still crisp. Add vinegar and stir to coat, cooking another 30 seconds.
3. Drain cooked quinoa and toss in a bowl. Add cabbage, onions, cheese, and 2 good spoonfuls of pesto. Toss and eat.

Bonus Post: 2 Meals for 1 (Person)!

On Wednesdays, David has class-meetings-meetings-class-officehours-tutoring-moreclass from about 9:00 in the morning till about 9:00 at night. Which means Abby is feeding herself and only herself all day. I tried preparing foods and sending them with that boy for lunch and dinner, but God bless him, he just can't manage to keep up with it all day, much less remember to eat it at a reasonable time. If he didn't leave it in a library somewhere, he came home with it at 9pm and proceeded to eat it then. Missing the point.

Thus, I have given up on trying to feed him while he's out and instead am just focusing on ME. Sigh. It feels good.

Since many of you probably have occasions (perhaps most occasions) in which you are just cooking for one, I thought I'd throw some shots of my lunch and dinner on the Downslizzle to give you some ideas. Both are salads, though maybe not in the way you're thinking. No lettuce involved. They're grain salads, built around precooked whole grains that I had in my fridge. If you cook a big pot of grains at once, they'll feed you for days.

Lunch: Fiesta Chickpea Salad

(because anything with salsa is a fiesta)

1 cup cooked chickpeas (any bean will do, even canned)

1/2 cup cooked grain (pearled barley here, but also spelt, kamut, wheat berries, quinoa, wild rice blend, etc. etc.)

1 small carrot, sliced thin

2 radishes, sliced thin (halved, if they're big)

thin, thin slices of red onion

2ish Tbsp grated cheddar cheese

salsa to toss it all in -- maybe about 1/4 cup? i didn't measure....

So with precooked chickpeas and grains, this is a 5 minute meal. With canned chickpeas and uncooked grains, it will take about 30 minutes to boil and drain the grains (just do it like you would pasta, and taste to see if they're chewable). Toss it all together and you've got a fiesta lunch!

Dinner: Beet Bowl

1 large or 2 medium beets

1/2 cup cooked grains (same as above; I used wild rice)

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1-2 Tbsp finely diced red onions or thin-sliced scallions

2-3 Tbsp goat cheese, crumbled (beets loooove goat cheese)

apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

1. First, you must roast the beet(s). Preheat your oven to 375º, rinse your beet and wrap it in foil. Roast in the oven 25-40 minutes, depending on how large your vegetable is. Check for doneness by sticking a sharp knife into the foil-wrapped beet. You want very little resistance--if it's done, you can stick right through. Immediately remove and unwrap the beet so it can cool a bit and you can handle it.
2. Meanwhile, cook your grains if need be. For grains like barley, spelt, rice, kamut, and wheat berries, I just cook like I would pasta--bring a pot with plenty of water to boil and let them roll around for at least 30 minutes. Then I taste and see if it's still too chewy or can be drained. Quinoa takes MUCH less time, like 10-15 minutes.
3. Once your beet(s) is/are cool enough to handle, the outer skin should slip right off. If you have kitchen gloves, now is the time to wear them. Beets will stain like nobody's business. Skin the beet then grate it over the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 2-3 tsp apple cider vinegar and plenty of salt and pepper.
4. Add remaining ingredients to bowl and toss. If your bowl is too savory for your taste, add a little vinegar. If it's too sweet, beef up the S+P.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

If the number of butternut squash(es? what's the plural on that one) sitting on my counter is any indication, the season of winter vegetables is upon us. At least, its upon us here in balmy Boston, where it hovers above freezing for the majority of the year. But I'm not even tired of blueberries yet! Or pears! Or zucchini (really)!

At any rate, those farmers keep shoving squash at me, so I have no choice but to eat it. Somehow, in the intervening months since I have last feasted on this particular squash, I forgot how naturally sweet it is. Which means it lends itself perfectly to that cuisine of my favor: Middle Eastern. The combination of sweet, hot, salty and tangy is a favorite of those Bedouins, and found its way into my kitchen tonight thanks to Orangette.

I loved my salad but it may have been a bit heavy on the dressing. Follow her lead and add the dressing to your tossed ingredients a little at time, to taste.

Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

serves 2, or 1 with leftovers; takes about 40 minutes, with canned beans

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned, drained, will do OK)

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

dressing:

1 small clove garlic, grated

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp tahini, well stirred

up to 1 Tbsp olive oil

water, to thin, as desired

1. Toss squash chunks with garlic, allspice, and a healthy douse of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast in a 425º oven for about 20 minutes, or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking together garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. If it is too bitter or acerbic, add olive oil. If it is too thick for your liking, add water.
3. When squash is done, toss in a bowl with chickpeas, onion and cilantro. Add 2 Tbsp or so of dressing, toss, and taste. Add more as desired.

"Asian" Chicken Salad

There's this rumor going around that some people are actually reading this blog and actually noticing when I go, say, three weeks without posting anything. Admittedly, it's partly out of mere exhaustion, but partly because I have heretofore been 90% sure that my mother is the only one reading. I really do take pictures of almost everything I eat in anticipation of posting some day. What I have in optimistic creativity I lack in follow through.

So, let's try this again. Here is last night's dinner. Not life changing, but since this type of dish is popping up on chain-restaurant menus across the country (including a certain Jack-in-the-Box in a certain rural Texas town I recently visited), someone must be eating it. We have elsewhere discussed my preoccupation with salads, and as I love these flavors, I much prefer to toss them together myself. With the exception of snow peas (and the dressing), 100% of the components of this salad can be found at farmers markets right now. So buy there if you can. The "Asian" is in quotes because I'm pretty sure no one in Asia eats anything similar to this....

"Asian" Chicken Salad

serves 2; total time 20 minutes, less if you have precooked chicken

4-5 leaves napa cabbage

4-5 leaves romaine lettuce

1 small carrot, thinly sliced

4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

1 inch thinly sliced cucumber

8-10 snow peas, julienned

2-3 scallions (green onions), chopped

2ish Tbsp chopped cilantro

2ish Tbsp chopped mint

small handful of peanuts, chopped

1 breast grilled chicken

for the dressing:

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 good blop of honey from the honey bear

1 tsp fresh grated ginger (or sprinkle of dried will do)

1-2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil**

(optional, 1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter and a squirt of hot sauce or sprinkle of red pepper flakes, for some kick)

1. If your chicken breast is not already cooked (ala the Whole Foods prepared foods counter or rotisserie chicken aisle) grill it on your George Foreman, broil it in the oven, poach it in some water--whatever you like. Just get it cooked and slice it up.
2. Divide salad ingredients into two bowls: do this as you chop them to save time and space. Whisk dressing ingredients together vigorously and pour over salads. Top with chopped herbs and nuts.
3. Tada!

**Special note: sesame oil and toasted sesame oil are two very different things. Be sure you get toasted sesame oil for the best flavor.

Cantaloupe-Chorizo Salad

It's cantaloupe season! That means icy cold, juicy melon chunks straight from the fridge--the perfect antidote to super summer heat. And since it almost hit 80º today, you know we're in need of some serious cooling. Phew! How about a no-cook meal featuring that vitamins A-, B-, C-, and potassium-packed fruit?

Meanwhile, Lynne Rossetto Kasper has been sending me emails lately, left and right. This woman cannot get enough of me or any of the other thousands of people who subscribe to her weekly newsletter but today she shot me a real winner of a recipe. With the CSA lettuce hanging out in my fridge, and the gigantor cantaloupe I just lugged home taking up precious shelf space, I decided to clean both out in one fell swoop. Oh, and make it all portable so I could meet up with David for lunch (hence, the cell phone photos).

All I needed was the sausage, no problem: spicy chorizo comes dried in most markets around here. But since that package of dried was so expensive and the individual links from the butcher were so not, I just grabbed a lone link and baked it off at home. If you can't find chorizo, linguica or andouille will sub in just fine.

Cantaloupe-Chorizo Salad

(adapted from LRK, see above; serves 1-2; potentially ready in 15 minutes or less)

Dressing:

1 small garlic clove, minced

sprinkle red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp fish sauce

2-3 Tbsp water

3 Tbsp rice wine or apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp honey, agave, or sugar

Salad:

Lettuce for two: romaine, mesclun mix, or some nice combination thereof

1 cup 1-inch chunks of cantaloupe

6 inches chorizo, sliced thin*

1/4 white onion, sliced thin

2 Tbsp mint, chopped

2-3 Tbsp chopped peanuts or almonds

1. Throw together dressing ingredients and shake well. Set aside.
2. Make a bed of lettuce and top with fruit, sausage, onion, mint, and nuts and drizzle dressing over top. *If you are working with already cooked sausage, simply slice it into bite-size pieces. If you are like me and only wanted to buy enough for the one meal (i.e. a single link from the butcher), simply cook it in the oven at 350º for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Slice down the middle longways and open it out for faster cooking.

Bacon-Seared Scallop Salad with Green Goddess dressing

Remember Green Goddess dressing? I don't. It was a trendy, 1970s California-foodie thing, I'm pretty sure, which temporarily made it onto grocery shelves before promptly disappearing again. Seeing as I wasn't even a gleam (as they say) at that point, I only recently discovered the super herby, super green, super California concoction. Thanks to an article by Molly Wizenberg in a recent issue of Gourmet, I got to skip the traditional mayonnaise-based history and go straight to her modern take on the dressing, built instead around avocados. Brilliant, right? Right.

Unfortunately, Gourmet has not put her article nor her recipe online, but I'll give you a cheater version here, one that serves 2-4 folks, depending on the size of your salads (or whatever else you're slathering it on), and uses mostly basic and easy-to-find ingredients.

Because it is Friday and because I had a week so exhausting that I may have crashed my bike this morning and because I got paid today, I sprung for one of my favorite ingredients of all time: scallops. If only you knew how easy these were to make--about as easy as they are impressive to whomever you're cooking for. They take no time, need virtually no additional seasoning, and are buttery-delicious when it's all said and done.

SO, put together green goddess + seared scallops and = dinner!

Bacon-Seared Scallop Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

(dressing adapted from Molly Wizenberg's recipe in May '09 issue of Gourmet; entire meal from start to finish--including eating--can be completed in under 30 minutes)

The salad:

5 large (or 7 smallish) scallops for each human you're feeding

1 slice bacon

Salt and pepper

Washed and chopped greens of your liking (we used mesclun mix)

Optional: additions for your salad (we used freshly shucked corn and grape tomatoes)

The dressing:

1/2 ripe avocado

1 small (or 1/2 med-large) garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

*Small squirt anchovy paste or 1/2 tsp minced anchovy fillet (optional, but it's traditional!)

pinch sugar

3-6 Tbsp walnut or olive oil

2 Tbsp cream or milk

1 Tbsp each of freshly chopped parsley, basil, thyme, and cilantro

1/2 Tbsp shallot, minced

1. First, make the dressing. In a food processor, combine avocado through sugar and blend well. (Alternately, do it in a bowl with a fork and some patience.) Slowly drizzle in oil, continually blending (whisking) until smooth. I happen to like a lot of tang, so I usually use equal parts vinegar and oil. If you like a smoother dressing, use the full 6 Ts of oil. Whisk in cream. Stir in herbs and shallot; cover and stash in the fridge until you're ready. If the dressing is too thick, add more oil or even water to your liking.
   
   
2. Next, the scallops. Dice the bacon strip and cook in a hot pan, stirring to prevent sticking. Remove cooked bacon to a paper towel, leaving drippings behind. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel, then salt and pepper one side. Place seasoned side down in hot skillet, then salt and pepper other side. DO NOT TOUCH for 2 minutes; you're getting the good, crusty sear. Flip in the order that you initially laid them down and allow to cook 2 minutes more. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
   
   
3. Now, assemble. Divide lettuce between two plates and top with add-ins, if using. Drizzle a little dressing over your greens and toss gently. Place warm scallops atop each salad and spoon more dressing over. Top with bacon pieces.

Taco Salad (slightly grown up)

I know at least one other human in this world grew up eating the great, home-grown taco salad that comes smothered in warm taco meat, soaked in Catalina dressing, and sprinkled with tantalizing crumbles of nacho-cheese Doritos. I also know that this meal marked the only time Doritos ever appeared in our house. I'm pretty sure far fewer ended up in the salad than ended up in the chip-crusher's mouth.

Anyway, I get a hankering for this salad periodically, but I've since learned that catalina = ketchup + sugar + vegetable oil, and am no longer crazy about corn chips in my dinner, I started experimenting with going more au natural.

Turns out, it's not so tough to replicate. You can microwave cheese until it's crispy (Doritos, check); you can stir up a dressing out of pantry staples (Catalina, check); and you can even make your own taco seasoning mix (1,460 fewer grams of sodium with your dinner, check).

Taco Salad with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

(Serves 2, dinner-size. Total prep/cook time, about 40 minutes.)

For the salad:

1/4 - 1/3 lb ground turkey

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp taco seasoning (see below)

Romaine lettuce (enough for 2 salads)

1 medium carrot, sliced thin

4 radishes, sliced thin

2 scallions, sliced thin

2 thick tomato slices, diced

1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated

For the dressing:

Zest of 1 lime (about 1 tsp)

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp white wine or rice vinegar

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 tsp honey

1 tsp cumin

S&P

2 Tbsp olive oil (or other salad oil)

For taco seasoning (if you wanna make your own):

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a small skillet, saute onions with a pinch of salt. When about done, throw in garlic. Then add turkey meat and brown, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and add 1/4 cup water. Stir to incorporate and lower heat; simmer until liquid is gone.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice and zest, vinegar, cilantro, honey, and spices. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking. Set aside.
3. Now, sprinkle grated cheese in a thin layer on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high until cheese is bubbling, brown and spotty. My microwave took 3 minutes. You might start with 2 and see how it goes. You should be able to (just barely) peel sheets of cheese off the hot plate, but it should harden immediately. If it's still flexible, throw it back on the plate and return it to the microwave. [This can also be done in a skillet on the stove under your watchful eye.]
4. To assemble, divide lettuce between two salad bowls/plates. Also split carrots, radishes, scallions, and tomatoes between plates. Drizzle dressing over. Top with warm meat and crunchy cheese.

Quinoa Chopped Vegetable Salad

By some blessing of the gods, it is 85 degrees in Boston today. EIGHTY-FIVE. Verging on too hot, yes, but only because we've had no time to prepare. Predictably, David is furious and I am in heaven.

Some of my favorite things to eat when it's hot out (besides ice cream, of course) are cold mixed salads that you can throw together one afternoon and leave in the fridge for several days, forking at will. I was recently bewitched by Janet Fletcher's article, "Ancient Grain for Modern Times," in which she extols the virtue of bulgur--a manifestation of the wheat kernel that is cracked, cooked, then dried, and sold in (usually health food) grocery stores. I decided to throw together a version of the kisir salad she talks about in the article, using what I had on hand.

What I did not have was bulgur. Oops. What I did have was quinoa, a fast-cooking grain from South America that you should be eating more of. It's about the size of cous cous and it's a complete protein, so it makes for a well-rounded vegetarian meal. Buy some.

Lastly, let me say nothing tastes like summer the way mint tastes like summer. It's fresh, it's sharp, don't skip it in this recipe.

Quinoa Chopped Vegetable Salad

(serves 2, unless you're me, then only 1)

1/2 cup quinoa

2 inches of cucumber, sliced then halved

4 radishes, ends cut off, then sliced and halved

1 medium tomato diced or a handful of cherry tomatoes halved***

1/2 inch slice of red onion, chopped

1 cup beans

2 Tbsp chopped mint

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp grated hard cheese

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

S&P

1. Bring a small pot of water with quinoa to boil. Stir grain around and cook until you see little curly parts separating from the grain (you'll know what I mean when you do it), about 5 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and run cold water over.
2. In a bowl, mix together rinsed quinoa and cucumber through cheese. In another small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil with lots of salt and pepper. Pour over veggie bowl and toss.
3. Eat all at once or store in the fridge.

Some notes...

You can be creative with the grain, but I like how the small quinoa clings to the other salad bits; also think bulgur (obviously) or cous cous (preferably whole wheat). I had black beans cooked, so I used those, but kidneys, white beans, and many others will do fine. For cheese, I used manchego, which is a Spanish sheep's milk cheese, nice and salty. Parm, asiago, romano, feta, or even farmer's cheese would be good. Just pick something salty. As usual, go with what you've got in the vegetable drawer, just make sure you pick things that are fresh and crunchy, because the beans provide all the mush you need.

---

***If you're not up for a food-inspired life lecture, stop reading now. Barry Eastbrook published an article in last month's Gourmet on the virtual slavery in which tomato harvesters in Florida live. These people are deceived into traveling to the farms, then kept in involuntary servitude indefinitely. There are chains. There is physical abuse. Yes, most of these workers are illegal. Does this mean they deserve whatever conditions they can get? I really, really hope your mental answer to that is "no." And let me save you the suspense -- conditions in Mexico are not better. You guessed it, they're worse.

The good news is that a coalition has formed for/by the workers and even the governor of Florida is warming up to them. If you want to figure out how to make sure you don't buy slavery tomatoes or support large-scale efforts to change the purchasing practices of food industry giants, go to the website for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

Listen, I'm not trying to go all Jane Fonda on you, but we vote with our dollars every time we go to the grocery store. While we have access to an incredible diversity of food and food products (I am certainly not complaining there), our food system is full of real problems. There are more reasons than just health to know where your food comes from.

Today's Salad

I have decided to create a running post called "Today's Salad," designed to guilt and/or coerce you into eating more leafy greens. It will feature that day's creation to give you some ideas and to prove to you that salad is not boring. It is, in fact, worth your attention. Here we go.

3/31: Blue Cauli-Plum Salad
Romaine with cauliflower, red onions, celery, sliced plums, blue cheese, and toasted walnuts. See, isn't it cute all packed up to go?

3/30: Spicy Mediterranean

Romaine with carrots, celery, cauliflower, roasted peppers (from a jar), and feta. Dressing made from diluting hummus with lemon juice until pour-able.

The Wonderful World of Salad

I recently had a request (that's right, I'm kind of a big deal) to post some recipes on the site that are quick and translate well into the following day's lunch. My first thought was, "What do I eat for lunch?" The answer is almost invariably, "Salad." But before you give up and stop reading, hear me out. I'm not talking about the lifeless, near-green iceberg lettuce of your corner deli or the prepackaged, preprocessed meats and cheeses in your average lunch facility. I'm talking about a legitimate mid-day meal that is satisfying, and allows you to really enjoy foods in their natural state.  In fact, I used to get excited when David would be gone during dinner so I could just make myself a salad. I got tired of waiting for him to have plans, so I started making him eat salads too. David actually now loves salad night. I hope I haven't just impugned his manhood. 

The thing that makes salad a great lunch meal is that it can be prepared in no time, even the night before, and stashed in your work fridge until you're ready for it. I even have some tricks for making it perfectly portable, and some serious strategy about how to make this concoction your own. Don't worry, there will be lunch-friendly posts in the future. But before I get in the kitchen, here's something to hold you over.  

Ok, making a really good salad. As I see it, there are 6, maybe 7, components (I told you there was strategy):

1. The Lettuce -- you have many, many options on this front. I am a simple girl, and I almost always go with romaine. I find it is crunchy and substantial enough to make me feel like I just had lunch, not the precursor to what should be lunch. Green and red leaf are too soft for this purpose; those mesclun mixes, watercress, and arugula--while they have their places--do not a meal make.  Baby spinach, on the other hand, can be quite substantial. 
2. The Vegetables -- this is where you get creative. Anything that can be eaten raw can go on a salad. Anything that must be cooked, can be cooked ahead of time and put on a salad. For me, this is always dependent on what lurks in our vegetable drawer. I like at least 3–4 different vegetables at a time. Also grains are good ... got some leftover barley or wheat berries? Toss them in! 
3. The Sweet/Juicy -- an important element of the overall equation. I like to add at least one item to the salad that brightens it up, maybe it's tomatoes, maybe it's apple, pear, or plum chunks, maybe it's raisins or other dried fruit. 
4. The Cheese -- cheese adds a soft, creamy note to the party. (Warning, life-lecture impending) Do me a favor and buy real cheese. This means that, instead of the 8-oz block of factory cheddar, maybe you choose the 4-oz gouda with herbs. Make a choice to purchase quality over quantity in your food, when possible. Not only will you be sophisticating your palette, you will be encouraging the production of small-batch cheeses, and you're less likely to pound through it mindlessly if it's dearer to your wallet. 
5. The Kick -- onions, usually, or peppers. I like thinly sliced red or green onions. And always, always salt and pepper. 
6. The Protein (optional) -- if I have leftover meat in the fridge or something that really needs to be cooked (and can be done quickly), I'll usually throw it on. Nuts and beans are good choices here, or a hard-boiled egg, which makes an appearance on many of my salads. 
7. The Dressing -- Keep 2 types of dressing on hand: a vinegar-base and a creamy one. You can even make these yourself. That way, no matter what your vegetable drawer spits at you, the resulting salad with have an appropriate dressing. Also stash different kinds of vinegars (as well as lemons) for an easy splash.  

Now, the combination of above items can be tricky, especially when the dressing shows up. Take care, and learn what you like. Trial and error is likely, but you'll get the hang of it. If it helps, think of regions: Classic Americana (tomato, cucumber, celery, cheddar, ranch), Californian (apples, walnuts, green onions, blue cheese); Asian (carrots, edamame, cabbage, green onions, rice vinegar); Italian (tomatoes, peppers, feta or parmesan, vinaigrette); Mexican (carrots, corn, black beans, onions, monty jack, cilantro); vaguely European (potatoes, green beans, hard boiled egg, swiss cheese, vinaigrette). 

Two final bits of wisdom: Don't be afraid to use lots of different ingredients in a single salad, but don't use a ton. Maybe you only need half a carrot and celery stick, a couple of cauliflower florets, a quarter of a tomato and 3–4 walnuts. And secondly, texture is key. Mix slimy roasted red peppers with crunchy celery or mushy leftover sweet potatoes with crisp, toasted pecans. Really, the secret is variety, so you don't get bored after 2 bites. 

Time-saving tips:

• Buy your lettuce, bring it home, wash and chop it, then store it in a zipper bag in your fridge. Instant handfuls of romaine at your disposal. It's like the bagged mixes, only cheaper. 
• Wash everything when you bring it home from the grocery. This way, you can just pull and chop at will. 

 Tips for making your salad office-friendly:

• Invest in two or three appropriately sized snap-lid containers. My favorites happen to be salvaged from chinese takeout. You want something long and low, so you can fork around and get all the goods, not eat in layers. 
• Likewise, buy or steal some plastic forks to get the salad from your plate to your mouth. 
• Buy a box of fold-top sandwich bags. Squeeze a tablespoon of dressing into one corner, tie a knot in the baggie, and slip it in your tupperware. Pop it open when you're ready to eat.
• Round out the meal with a piece of bread (with which I like to sop up the leftover dressing).