I escaped from my cube on Friday and walked over to the Farmer’s Market right near my office in Copley Square, where there was a huge selection of produce. Plenty of my favorites of course, but I wanted to try something new. I picked up two big bunches of tatsoi, which is a Chinese green. The vendor told me it was “like spinach, but doesn’t get mushy.” Really, she had me at “like spinach…”.

There’s a lot going on in this salad, but it’s all great. First, you mix together roasted eggplant, lentils, spices, honey, lemon juice, and scallions. Then, you place it on a bed of Romaine lettuce and chopped mango. I skipped the recommended cilantro and peanut garnish and left the eggplant/lentil mixture just slightly warm, which worked well.

It was delicious and pretty! Of course, it won’t be as pretty when I try to pack the components to go to work, but I am sure it will taste just as good.

I’ve made panzanella before, a winter version and a summer one. But this particular recipe caught my eye, and I’ve had it on my list for a while. When I saw a loaf of multi grain bread in the day-old bin at the store, I decided that now was the time. Plus, I got to use more pea tendrils. But the key to the flavor here is the fresh basil!

The best thing about panzanella is that you can eat the leftovers all week long, and you don’t get tired of it. I think it’s because every bite is different.

Here’s what I threw in a big glass bowl:

1/2 loaf multi grain bread, cut into cubes and baked at 375F for 15 minutes
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2″ pieces and steamed for 5 minutes
3 cups pea tendrils, washed and chopped
1 leek, sliced and sauteed in 1 t olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
Drizzle olive oil
Splash balsamic vinegar
Splash red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper

I got the idea for this dressing from Kath’s blog, and it was just as easy and delicious as promised. You mix equal parts olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and mustard – that’s it! When I first tried the dressing, it seemed too tangy, but over a salad it was just right.

Kath has been talking a lot about sardines on her blog, and encouraging readers to try them. Sardines are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and calcium, and they really are less ‘fishy’ than tuna. So I bought a tin of water packed sardines at the grocery store, and they sat in my cabinet for a few weeks until I gathered the courage to make this sardine salad.

I have no idea why I waited so long, the sardines were great. I think they’re best suited to a meal eaten at home as the tin might be a little messy, but there was no smell at all in my kitchen. Because they have more fat naturally, sardines don’t seem as dry as tuna either. Really, go ahead and give them a try.

1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 tin sardines, drained
2 t low-fat mayonnaise
1 t mustard
Dash salt, pepper, garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl with a fork. Place on a bed of spinach and chopped cucumber, and drizzle with balsamic dressing.

That’s a big title for a recipe, so let me start with the lemony cauliflower. I followed this recipe which yielded a dish of roasted cauliflower, and a kitchen that smelled very nice after zesting and squeezing two lemons! You could just stop there, but I had a container of cooked wheat berries and some fresh spinach, so I threw everything together in a bowl. With a squeeze of any remaining lemon juice and a drizzle of fig and lemon balsamic vinegar, the salad was ready. I did chop the spinach leaves slightly after taking the photo which made it easier to eat, but otherwise this salad was perfect.

I was pretty sure I’d love this salad. It was going to be the perfect portable lunch/dinner this week. I was on a roll after some fantastic pancakes and an awesome curry.

Except the dressing was salty. And there wasn’t enough anyway for the salad. And while steaming the vegetables briefly should have made them more palatable, they just tasted funny. I was supposed to take the undressed veggies out tonight, and attempt to transform them into a new and exciting meal. But I made a grilled cheese instead. Maybe tomorrow!

This isn’t really a recipe, but more of a reminder that some nights, it’s OK to just clean out the produce in your refrigerator (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, and scallion) and top it with flaked salmon from a pouch and sesame ginger dressing. While I do love freshly grilled salmon, it’s good in this simpler form too. You get all the nutritional benefits of fish in just the time it takes to throw together a quick salad.

I can’t remember the last time I purchased pepperoni; I wasn’t even sure where to look for it in the store. And no, sliced turkey pepperoni isn’t exactly a natural food, but it was a tasty treat in this salad! The original recipe is from Green Lite Bites, although I changed up the vegetables, and used green leaf lettuce and Parmesan cheese. It’s the dressing that I think is really unique, it tastes just like pizza sauce with a mix of olive oil, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and water.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! There are plenty of great foods which are naturally green, but avocados are one of my favorites. As a treat for my Mom who loves to have lunch made for her, I whipped up this avocado bean dip, and placed a big spoonful on a salad of lettuce, cucumbers, shredded carrots, diced tomatoes, and black beans. Unfortunately, the weather on my vacation wasn’t great, so most of my pictures are indoor shots. But it was still a delicious and relaxing lunch!

1 c. black beans
1 ripe avocado
Juice of one lemon
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Blend beans, avocado, and lemon juice in a food processor until almost smooth. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste.