apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

At least twice a week we have salad for dinner. Usually with grilled chicken or shrimp, some sort of toasted nuts and shaved parmesan. I make the dressing with balsamic or my new favorite, fig infused vinegar. And of course, a glass of wine.

I think this is a great method. I have heard that it is much healthier to get small doses of many, rather than large doses of few. With a busy life, both my wife and I have 'unscientifically' created little baggies of foods that we combine throughout the week. We have always wanted to actually put time into this and make sure we are eating healthy every day. Most times it is more about motivation, though, and imagination at the grocery store.

It seems like whenever I open my blog mouth, I can't help but write about Japan. I internalized so many daily lessons from living there, it's hard for me not to. After going from a hearty farm family, that ate dinners that consisted of 'a meat a starch and a vegetable' (our family food pyr, it was a big adjustment to start eating obento, which is their compartmentalized lunches. I found them full of wild variety and extremely satisfying. Only later did I find out that the variety is so that all different types of foods balance each other out.

I can never go back to the hearty farm diet. The nights when I am forced to eat a bowl of mac and cheese are painful.

I love the above salad idea - and would love to hear about more types of pre-made diet ideas. I think it is a necessity to living healthy and economically in a busy city.

That's fascinating. Great method, but my husband would be starving, so this wouldn't work for us. My grocery bills went up astronomically when we moved in together, because he just eats a LOT. Love him dearly, but I do miss the idea that in the single days, a bowl of cereal could be dinner if I just wasn't that hungry!

Fiona, I feel your pain. My husband is 6'4", 240 lbs. Getting him to eat lighter, especially when he gets home late, has been a gradual process. But now he loves the way he feels after a light meal. If he is still hungry, he has an apple and that seems to satify him.

Lori, you definitely can relate, because my husband is just under 6'4" and around 190 lbs. He has the world's fastest metabolism, except for his brother, who cycles and eats even more insane amounts. When we first started dating, I'd make dinner, and then he'd eat TWO sandwiches later in the night. I'm glad your husband has been converted, but I fear mine never will be.

Once a week I buy all the ingredients I'll use for the week - lettuces, cherry tomatoes, small potatoes, red peppers, an avocado, kirbys, broccoli, shrimp or chicken, some cheese and good bread, herbs, eggs. I may buy olives, capers and artichokes in oil, to add in small quantities. Then I can mix them in different combinations all week long, roasting the red pepper, and steaming the vegetables. Usually I'll end the meal with a handful of grapes or sliced fruit and sometimes a small piece of cheese. Or a very small piece of dark chocolate.

I use the method nearly every night I eat at home, have been for years, whether it's early or late, but especially after I've eaten out during the week. And always have that glass of wine with the salad!

Ty - what are kirbys? I tried to google it and got a steakhouse, a copy store and a kind of beer.

www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/108454

I love this recipe. The sauce is yum-yum-yummy

RR -

I may have mispelled the word in the plural - a kirby is a cucumber, but shorter and crunchier than the conventional kind.

ty

salads are the best, i have one every night,and i never have that heavy feeling that some meals create. now i must try adding the sauteed brown rice with garlic in my salad.

my big, composed salad secret is to always include fresh, seasonal fruit in them
always
a great way to think about creating a composed salad without greens is to create it much as you would your favorite ceviche (which is always a combo of fruit/vege/acid/sweet)
start with a smushed clove of garlic in the bottom of a bowl
add salt, oil, vinegar
add a finely chopped chile
add some scallions/shallots/onions
then, start layering in your vege and fruit
consider -- tomatoes, cukes, avocado, green papaya, mango, peaches, mushrooms, celery, blueberries, raspberries, etc, etc, etc!!!!
i never use greens in a salad like this, they end up just getting in the way
its an absolutely brilliant late night, lazy summer afternoon way to feed yourself, and get your vitamins!!!!

I love summer salads but I usually have them for lunch and having one for dinner too is a bit much for me. then again, I gained three pounds over memorial day weekend so perhaps a few weeks of double salad days are in order...

however, last night I did make an adaptation of the roast chicken recipe! I have never put onions in the pan before. They ended up delicious! crispy and caramelized--worked great with the potatoes and carrots I also threw in there.

Does anyone happen to know of a good "weeknight salad" type cookbook for this exact purpose? ie maybe with a weekly shopping list and then several different salads that can be made from the list? I'm looking around on Amazon now but any recommendations would be great!

We eat at home most nites; it's alot healthier than eating out or getting delivery. As we have busy work days, I try to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. Dinner is always a protein (chicken or fish) and vegatables (steamed or salads). We always finish with a fruit and no fat yogurt (we are into a no added fat lifestyle--I do not cook with oil). I shop once weekly to stock the refrigerator and always make sure that I have shallots, garlic, capers, olives, piquillo peppers, boxed chicken broth, frozen vegetables (such as peas, frenched green beans and spinach to add into sautees of the protein for a one dish meal). I poach the fish or chicken in a sautee of garlic, shallots, capers or olives or piquillo peppers. I always have on hand premade batches of salad dressing (balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper), teriyaki sauce to add to stir fries (equal parts soy and rice wine vinegar, add sugar to taste), and den miso to coat fish and broil (equal parts sake, mirin, and sugar cooked with double the amount of miso). I find that the key to making quick, healthy dinners is to have the tools (ingredients and sauces) available to pull it together.

I'm putting ume plum vinegar in everything these days...

Please post all of your salad recipes -- I do this almost everyday and get bored with the same ingredients! Thanks...

"a kirby is a cucumber, but shorter and crunchier than the conventional kind"

That is the darn cutest thing I've heard all week. ;)

To conventional salads I often add shredded veggie cheese, finely diced black olives (which add so much flavor and moisture that they can often take the place of dressing) and gomasio.

I also like to shred garlic and sautee it in olive oil, add finely sliced veggie chorizo and very ripe, diced organic tomatoes to that and put it on top of a bed of baby spinach. Protein and fiber and it's veddy good.

Thanks for the recipes, and I've gotta try that ume plum vinegar, Severn. I've only just discovered umeboshi and am trying to work those into recipes. There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio...

There's a place called Salad Spinners near my office in the Chicago Loop area that makes custom salads. They call them "Dream Salads". Here's a list of some of the more unusual ingredients they use that might inspire you...
Buffalo or Grilled Chicken Tenders
Buffalo or Grilled Calamari
Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Grilled Steak
Grilled Rock Shrimp
Pepperoni & Genoa Salami
Popcorn Rock Shrimp
Seared Ahi Tuna
Sliced Deli meat
Almonds
Artichoke Hearts
Bacon Bits
Black Beans
Apples
Avocado
Bean Sprouts
Olives
Chick Peas
Corn
Cilantro
Crisp Wontons
Sliced Beets
Giardiniera Peppers
Hearts of Palm
Mandarin Oranges
Plum Tomatoes
Pepperoncinis
Roasted Red Peppers
Shredded Coconut
Tortilla Strips
Sun-Dried Cherries
Strawberries
Tortellini
Sesame Seeds

I am so jealous. Unfortunately I live in a very poor rural area and cannot get good lettuce or any other greens suitable for salad. They are all brown and black while still in the only local grocery. Unless I want to get farm spinach which is impossible to get clean. We are moving to Atlanta soon, and what I am looking forward to most is the availability of fresh salad greens. Your ideas will definitely serve as inspiration when I get up there and can use them.

thanks for the tips! I always eat salads for dinner. Your post inspired me to make some whole wheat penned to put in last night's, it made for a nice change of pace and a good mix -

bag of spring greens
parmesan and romano shredded cheese blend from TJ
artichoke heart chopped up
whole wheat penne
good olive oil
good balsamic vinegar
salt & fresh ground black pepper

i second/swear by the ume plum vinegar!

and lemon pepper, especially on spinach (was told to make my own, but mcCcormick's "calif style coarse grind blend l. pepper w/ garlic + onions" is extra lemony, lemon rind being the second ingredient, unike other brands.

also check your farmer's market for "ugly shitake" mushrooms--can be quite a bargain at $2 per 1/3 full brown lunch bag (compared to regular shitakes).

this might be too obvious, but walnut, blue cheese and cranberry spinach salads are manna for vegetarians
(this one anyway) just a reminder...
thanks evryone, the lists will be on the fridge now.

I agree with the bento box comment above - I have two young children, both somewhat picky eaters. I got them bento box style lunch boxes (see obentec.com) and they take salads, roll-ups, dips, etc. Makes for healthier (and plastic baggie free) lunches.