Everything BUT the Kitchen Sink Salads

I almost always take my own lunch to work. Part of it is that I like certain kinds of foods and flavours and I do them best and part of it is economical since the size of my lunches (note picture, and watch out for me on crowded subways!) bought out at say Whole Foods or any salad bar in the vicinity of my office in Toronto generally costs about $15. I'm not joking.

People think it's so time consuming to make lunch in the morning. Believe me, I'm up around 7:45 each day I make coffee, get dressed, check email and put on make up, feed my cats, make my bed, and make my lunch and I'm out the door by 8:30 a.m.

Tips.
I always wash fresh produce as soon as I get home. I put it in the sink and soak everything (citrus fruits, melons, squash, herbs, beets, etc) and then I rinse it, dry it and put it away. You're more tempted to use the stuff before it goes bad. My rule with lettuce is the same - the end is cut off, the leaves are put in the sink, it's washed and then spun and then put in a dry dish towel in a plastic bag in the fridge.

In the morning, in 5 minutes or less, I might boil a few eggs, chop up lettuce/dandelion leaves/iceberg/frissee/celery/red or green cabbage, peel and grate a beet, toss in black sundried olives or green Queen olives or a handful of sunflower seeds/pepitas/sesame seeds, cube some old chedder or crumble feta, slice a yellow pepper, open a can of white beans or small brown lentils, rinse them and add them to the tupperware, or I'll take a can of tuna to the office and add it right before eating while I crack and peel the eggs I've hard-boiled and quarter them and add them too, then ground pepper and add a sprinkling of salt and you've got yourself a mighty fine protein rich fresh tasting lunch.

I've taken to buying my dressing which I used to consider sacrilagious but now enjoy the convenience. I like Paul Newman's classic oil and vinegar. It tastes the most like my own.