Beyond the obvious reason that they’re good for you, salads are the most convenient way I have found to bring lunch to work and actually stick to eating what I bring. They usually require no cooking, and they don’t require tupperware that you have to take to work and take home to wash. You can just bring a big bag of lettuce, your fixin’s, a bottle of salad dressing that you guard against coworkers mice that somehow devour it before you – and you’re set for the week.

But just any old salad can be, well, depressing, and this is Food is Bomb after all. For just a little extra effort – say, maybe cooking one thing in your salad and sticking to some coherent theme –  you can make a Bomb Salad. A Bomb Salad has a few key characteristics –  a) filling, b) it has a ton of stuff in it to keep you interested, and c) delicious. Related to c, it has to be really fresh – so use heartier lettuce like romaine, spinach, or arugula that keeps for a week. It has to be as easy as possible – so opt for grape tomatoes to avoid cutting up and storing a tomato and yes, spring for pre-washed lettuce.  I’m sharing  a salad medley of a few of my favorite ideas – southwestern, nicoise-light, sesame chicken, and beet & walnut.

Southwestern Salad | Old faithful
Fixin’s ideas (there are so many – just pick a few):
romaine (non-negotiable in my opinion, but of course, do what you want)
black beans
avocado
broken up pieces of tortilla chips (little crispy things make life worth living)
corn (this makes it sweeter – highly recommended. I made an extra grilling one night and threw it in – life-changing)
grape tomatoes (easier than cutting tomatoes)
parsley or cilantro
dressing: ranch or a red wide vinaigrette

Nicoise-Light | Flavor punch
Fixin ideas:
mixed green lettuce
boiled baby potatoes (I use a mix of white, red, and purple they sell at Whole Foods)
blanched green beans
grape tomatoes
olives
tuna salad (instead of adding tuna, I buy tuna salad from the store and and scoop a little onto the side of each salad)
dressing: balsamic

Sesame Chicken | Lean with protein
spinach
shredded carrots
chopped green onion
chicken (I marinate it in a ginger soy sauce and broil it)
sesame seeds
fried wonton strips (see above re: crispy things making life worth living)
thai spicy cashews (sounds specific but most grocery stores have cashews that are in some way awesomely spiced)
dressing: sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a little sugar/agave

Beet & Walnut Salad | sweet but substantial
mixed greens or arugula
chopped, boiled beets
walnuts – raw is fine but I’m sure toasted or candied is way more awesome
grape tomatoes
crumbled goat cheese
dressing: balsamic