Super Simple Lunch Salad: Mixed Greens with Eggs, Pea Crisps, Parm & Mustard Vinaigrette
Whenever I put the slightest bit of effort into a salad, it often becomes the most satisfying meal I make all week! I get so excited and surprised at the outcome that I want to shout it from the rooftops, telling anyone and everyone how delicious it was. I've made my thoughts on salad clear in previous posts, but sometimes a spot of greens is just what the doctor ordered. And this salad hit the motherlovin' spot.
Before we get into the simple instructions for this salad, do yourself a favor and pick up some pre-cooked and peeled eggs. I stumbled upon them at Lund's and then at Trader Joe's and my mind was blown. I LOVE hardboiled eggs. I DO NOT love making them. What a big ol' pain in the arse. For less than $3 at both stores, you can save yourself a whole lotta time and effort. Buying hardboiled eggs may be old news to you, and if so, well...lucky you! I'm clearly reveling in the excitement of this new information.
A few other notes: You can sub croutons (homemade ones would be lovely!) for the pea crisps, I just happened to have some on hand and was out of croutons. Pea crisps are great, though, and can also be found at Trader Joe's, among plenty of other grocery stores. Any hard cheese will do for this, it doesn't have to be Parmesan. And as always, I've provided a quick and dirty dressing recipe that is adaptable to your own tastes and can be scaled up for a larger salad. The foundation I like to keep in mind for dressing is as follows: Oil, acid (usually vinegar), sweet (honey or maple syrup), salty (salt and/or soy sauce), spice/herbs, and an emulsifier, like mustard. If you keep this basic foundation in mind, the dressing world is your oyster.
Mixed Greens with Eggs, Pea Crisps, Parm & Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes: 1 salad
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes (assuming you're using precooked eggs)
For Salad:
2 c. salad greens of your choice
1 hardboiled egg, sliced
handful of pea crisps/croutons
sprinkling of Parmesan
For Mustard Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard (I used spicy brown)
1 tsp. honey
splash of red wine vinegar
few drops of Worcestershire sauce
dash of herbs de provence
salt/pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Place greens in a bowl. Top with sliced egg, pea crisps/croutons and Parmesan.
2. Make dressing by whisking all ingredients in a bowl. Adjust any ingredients to suit your tastes. Pour over salad and toss. How's that for a simple salad?!
