Potato or Egg Salad, coming through!

First of all, I want to explain my impossibly long headlines. As a copywriter, I spend every day focusing on how to phrase things cleverly in proper English without repeating words or using unnecessary articles. So, my blog is a place where I can relax about that stuff and just write for the sake of writing.

Every Sunday, I bust out my giant Pyrex bowls, take inventory of what’s inside my fridge and try to figure out what I can stir up for my weekday lunches. I love sandwiches, don’t get me wrong — but I can’t do ‘em every day. I get pretty restless. I like salads because they’re satisfying, and if done right, can even be used as a sandwich filling, stuffed in a pita or used as a good accompaniment to a half-eaten bagel with a smidgen of butter, leftover soup, a fine Bosc pear, or whatever scrap food you have around your kitchen.

The formulas for these salads are pretty simple. Something bad for you + something good for you + some kind of homemade dressing = LUNCH. Here are five of my favorite salads. Make a big batch and spread it out throughout the week. I’ve also included the (not so) clever nicknames that my roommate and I have created for each.

The Fish Bean: This is somewhat adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe, and my roommate deserves the credit for bringing this fabulous dish to my attention. In a bowl, toss together a can of tuna, a can of cannelloni beans (or any white bean), thinly sliced red onion and dress with vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Couscous (again) salad: In a bowl, toss together 1 box of couscous, cooked, 1 container of feta cheese, cilantro, green onions, sauteed vegetables (any kind, it really doesn’t matter), and dress with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Chickpeas with mint: Adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe. Toss together a giant can of chickpeas, a handful of mint, and some chopped grilled red peppers. Dress with lemon and olive oil, season with salt and pepper. GREAT with pita bread.

The Martha: Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. Toss together shredded chicken, penne pasta, slivered almonds, raisins, parsley and lemon rind. Dress with lemon juice and about a cup of Greek yogurt. Season with salt and pepper.

The Potato or Egg Salad: Toss together boiled chopped eggs, boiled chopped potatoes, celery, red onion, a bit of relish and parsley. Dress with a good bit of mayonnaise, grainy mustard, white vinegar. Add lots of salt and pepper. Good served as an open-face sandwich on rye bread.

Honestly, what you need to try first is The Martha. I think I liked it so much the first time I made it that I ate the whole batch. Eek, right?