Big Salad Days

the joy of eating, from a giant bowl

chicken, quinoa and basic dressing (recipes below) with arugula, pickled onion, shaved brussles, walnuts and crasins.

I know I’m not alone in hitting that 2–3pm wall when I haven’t planned lunch. Skip it… graze all afternoon… feel weirdly full at dinner… eat again later… repeat. It’s not ideal. It leaves me foggy, cranky, and somehow still unsatisfied.

And yet — packing a thoughtful lunch for my child? Easy.
Making something for myself? Suddenly… complicated. (Still unpacking that.)

A few weeks ago I went to a friend’s house for a visit. Her baby was five weeks old. Five. Weeks. Old. And she casually whipped up the most beautiful, textured, balanced salad bowls for us like it was nothing.

Reader, I was humbled.

The salad was perfect. Light enough to keep energy steady, substantial enough to carry me to dinner. Crunchy, fresh, satisfying. She told me she’s been making some version of this same salad for nearly ten years.

Ten years!

How much time have I spent standing in front of the fridge thinking about lunch? Or scrolling for something to order? The decision fatigue alone is exhausting. If one simple formula can take that off your plate (pun intended), imagine the mental space you get back.

Now — eating the exact same thing every day forever isn’t for me. But the concept? Genius.

So I’ve been playing with the framework:
A good dressing
Some roast chicken (or salmon)
A pot of quinoa

Then just add whatever vegetables, herbs, crunch, or cheese you have on hand… and you have a deeply satisfying bowl.

Here are my staple recipes to get you started. A big metal salad bowl is not essential but highly encouraged.

quinoa, basic dressing (recipes below), arugula, 7 min egg, feta, herbs, cucumber and beets

The Everyday Dressing

This is the foundation. Bright, balanced, endlessly adaptable.

Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
Salt and pepper, generously

Optional additions (pick your vibe):
• 2 tsp Kewpie mayo + 1 tsp miso paste (gentle Caesar energy)
• 1–2 Tbsp minced fresh herbs (dill or parsley are lovely)
• 1–2 tsp chopped pickled peppers + a splash of their brine (tiny heat, big zing)

To make:
Add everything to a jar. Shake well until emulsified. Taste and adjust. Store in the fridge for a few days. Use 2–3 Tbsp per salad.

Simple Roast Chicken

Juicy, flavourful, endlessly useful.