Easy, like Sunday afternoon.

On the weekends, I often find that my meal schedule gets a little "off": I usually try to sleep in a bit, maybe read in bed, get a workout in, sneak down to the common laundry room before it gets busy, eat a late breakfast -- it's often 3pm before I've thought about lunch. On days like these, easier is better.

I find that salads are a great way to use up leftover proteins from the week's dinners, random produce that looks as though it might need to be eaten, or any number of tasty things you have on hand. (Leftover bacon from Sunday brunch? Bingo.) My five-minute fix today (pictured above): romaine with sliced mango, strawberries, and Marcona almonds, with a Champagne-mustard vinaigrette.

Bev's Salad Rules:

1. Start with dry greens. Nothing is sadder than limp, wet lettuce. The greens are crisper, sweeter, and hold dressing better. Invest in a salad spinner if you ever hope to enjoy salads at home. ("Triple-washed"? I still prefer to give it a rinse when it comes home, after having read some disturbing studies. Just do it.)
2. Don't skimp on the fixin's. I'm not one that really fills up on most salads, which is why I view lettuce as the mere vehicle for consuming roast chicken, interesting cheeses, nuts, and fruit galore. 
3. Make your salad dressing. As a single gal in a studio apartment, I don't like to be tied down by a whole bottle of one kind of dressing. I keep a few different bottles of vinegars, infused olive oils, and herbs handy for mixing up various concoctions. I like my oil to vinegar ratio to be 1:1, and I typically don't add any sugar. By now you know this isn't because I'm particularly health-conscious, but because I find the acidity is tempered by and enhances the sweetness in the fruit my salads nearly always contain. Never fear! You can always taste and adjust...that's the beauty of making your own dressing. I recommend dipping a leaf of lettuce to taste.
4. Think before you toss. I sprinkle creamy items such as goat cheese, sliced boiled egg, and other ingredients on top after vigorously tossing the greens and fruits/veggies. If you add creamy ingredients before tossing, it'll make everything a little cloudy-looking. Not photo-ready.

Above all, keep it easy. With a little preparation and creativity, you can fix a salad in five minutes and get back to your hard-earned weekend.

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Sunday Salad
Serves one


3-4 generous handfuls of washed, chopped romaine lettuce
half a mango, sliced
4-6 strawberries, sliced
handful Marcona almonds


1 T Champagne vinegar
1 T olive oil
1/2 t Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste


Whisk dressing ingredients together at the bottom of a large bowl (you want the bowl to be large enough that you can toss the salad easily). Drop in fruit, nuts, and lettuce, and toss well.