Lunch salad prep time: early morning, fridge full of goodies, ideas swirling in my head… I improvise more than I plan. This time, I didn’t even have a clear theme, unless you call balsamic vinaigrette a theme. I grabbed what looked good, put it all together, and declared it a salad.

Ingredients:

(Serves one as a lunch salad.)

1 romaine heart, chopped.

3 mushrooms, sliced.

1 scallion, sliced.

2 sprigs of basil, leaves removed and chopped, stalk discarded.

1 sprig of marjoram, leaves stripped, stalk discarded.

1/2 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained.

1/2 fennel bulb, sliced.

1/2 cup grated golden beet.

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

(Use only what you need. Refrigerate the rest for several days.)

1 T balsamic vinegar.

3 T extra virgin olive oil.

1/2 clove of garlic, smashed and minced.

1/2 tsp maple syrup.

1 pinch of salt, to taste.

I was making two salads, as usual, so I doubled all of the ingredients listed above. I started by rinsing the kidney beans and leaving them in a sieve to drain. Then I chopped the lettuce and made a nice bed for the vegetables. I rinsed and chopped and sliced until both bowls were vibrantly full of flavorful bite sized bits. I grated the golden beet, a trick I learned from a good friend, and generously sprinkled a handful over each salad. Then I added the beans, and dusted the salads with freshly ground black pepper. Finally, I whipped up the balsamic vinaigrette, slipped a jar of it into my husband’s salad, and popped the lid on the container. My salad and my jar of dressing went into the fridge for later.

The Verdict:

These textures really worked well together. I loved the crunchy fennel with the creamy beans, the little mushrooms sponging up the vinaigrette, and the delicious nibbles of beet clinging to the crispy romaine. The flavors were mostly perfect — basil and balsamic vinegar are made for each other. I think the marjoram was a bit heavy handed, so I recommend using about half of what I used. It might even be wiser to use about a fourth, and to include it directly in the dressing, so that it’s subtle and infused throughout instead of big punches of flavor. This is definitely worth playing with again.

Make it a meal:

Done.

Pack it to Go:

Done. Just keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat, then add only as much as you need, fork toss (or put the lid back on and give it a few quick shakes), and enjoy.