Salad days

"My salad days, When I was green in judgment" Cleopatra

One of my favorite quotes from the ol' Bard. This was on a sign in my favorite English teacher's, Mrs. Maddox, room in high school. She decorated her bust of Shakespeare for every holiday.

But, rest assured, I'm not about to reflect on my own salad days of the past- instead, we're focusing on the salad days of a hot summer.

I have given up the siren song of the salad bar as a quick go to lunch option. I realized that I was spending as much as I would if I went out to eat for lunch. Hmmm- so I need to plan ahead, do some simple prep & I've got a great lunch waiting for me in the fridge. (Note to self- if you are having salad for lunch don't forget the lettuce at home- all though Mischa was very happy to see me return home to get it)

Today, I had one of my favorite combos- a vegetarian salad nicoise. Sliced hard boiled egg, steamed potatoes, blanched yellow string beans, carrots, sliced onions on a bed of mixed greens. Traditionally, there's also tuna- but I can't stand even the smell of tuna. And if you need a little more protein for a busy day, add some rinsed, drained garbanzo beans or white beans. *Sniff* and I did forget the best part, olives! Feel free to add some croutons or sliced almonds for a little crunch.

Another one I love this time of the year is a quick Southwest salad. I grill a chicken breast with Southwest seasoning- chill and slice. I take some leftover roasted corn, black beans, cucumber, onions and peppers, a little cheese and some lettuce and add the chicken. Just top with low fat ranch or Paul Newman's Southwest dressing, a couple of crushed tortilla chips and you're good to go.

Some other yummies I love? A nice hunk of bread in the toaster, slathered with goat cheese and topped with fresh tomatoes. A quick cheese quesadilla for a hearty side. Dried cranberries, sliced apples, mandarin oranges, sugar snap peas, roasted asparagus, roasted beets, a nuked sweet potato can mix it up any which way. Croutons are great- just be sure to stick with the low fat baked ones. Also check out the other fun salad toppers- my favorite one right now is crispy onions, oh yeah!

For me, having a huge salad for lunch not only gets that major veggie eating requirement accomplished with a little panache but it's also a great way to use up all of the produce I buy every week at the Farmer's markets, not to mention to put a whole different spin on leftovers. And I can prep my ingredients in the morning, when the kitchen is a little cooler and do enough for three or so days. Just stay clear of those stupid co-workers who will eat anything that's not tied down. Or you could put everything in an opaque container and mark "stool sample" on it and it will not be touched. Just a thought.