MAKES: 4 (2½-CUP) SERVINGS • DIFFICULTY: easy
One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s really flexible, so you can cater to whatever you’re in the mood for tasting and enjoying. Mix and match ingredients, leaving out any you don’t like or may not have on hand and adding other favorites.
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 radishes, chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber
½ small orange or red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped celery
3 artichoke hearts, chopped
1½ cups cooked or 1 15.5-ounce BPA-free can or Tetra Pak cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, radishes, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, celery, artichoke hearts, and cannellini beans.
Drizzle the Ranch Dressing onto the salad and toss to combine.
Keep a selection of salad ingredients prepped so your own personal salad bar is ready whenever you get a craving. Wash and spin-dry salad greens; mix up a few of the dressings in this chapter; and keep a variety of washed, sliced, and diced veggies in tightly covered containers so all you have to do is create your salad masterpiece. Keep handy pantry ingredient add-ins, such as nuts and dried fruit. For variety, change up the greens you use in salads, try different vinegars in the dressings, and add new fruit, veggie, and nut combos.