During this unprecedented time, I think it’s safe to say that we are all eating differently than we are used to.
I’ve been planning when I am eating vegetables more strategically as I want them to last longer, especially with fresh vegetables that require more thorough washing than a bag of frozen vegetables.
Below is the salad I’ve been making repeatedly over the past month.
The ingredients are all items that last a long time (more than a week) or canned.
I think the flavors complement each other well because of the sweetness from the corn, tartness from the red wine vinaigrette and heartiness from the pinto beans.
Romaine gets a bad rep and doesn’t have as many nutrients as the darker leafy greens, but it lasts much longer than the pre-washed mixed green varieties. I also prefer crunchy salads.
“Crisp” Romaine tip: Wash one head of lettuce at a time, and wrap the leaves in paper towels. Put in a gallon ziploc bag and store in the fridge. The leaves are much crisper when stored this way and ready to cut and use. You can keep reusing the paper towels and plastic bag.
Quarantine Salad Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce
- Cannellini beans
- Canned Corn
- Bell peppers – I like the bags of mini peppers so I can cut up a few at a time
- Celery
- Carrots
- Red Onion
- Grape tomatoes
- Parsley or Cilantro
Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
I have a more basic version of an emulsion blender similar to this one which I use to make dressings and marinades, but you can also whisk all of the ingredients together or put in a jar and shake to combine.
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (if hand mixing, then mince)
- 1/2 teaspoon 100 percent Grade A Amber maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper