Steak and Egg Salad with Lemon Horseradish Vinaigrette

Most of my favorite salads are what I've created out of left overs. 

This Steak and Egg Salad is no exception.

It's a classic combination that has been around forever for a reason.

Delicious sliced steak and hardboiled eggs,

 right out of the frig made my lunch so quick and easy.

The real star of this recipe is the dressing.

It's fresh and bright with just the slightest amount of kick from the horseradish.

Is it bad that I'm planning on serving steak again tonight for dinner 

so I can have this salad for lunch again?

Steak and Egg Salad with Lemon Horseradish Vinaigrette
salad for 1

for the dressing, whisk together:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon cream horseradish

Toss dressing over:
bed of mixed greens
2 hard boiled eggs sliced
2 oz of cooked, sliced steak
1-2 teaspoons of chopped chives

Chicken Wing Salad- My Back to School Lunch

As the school year approaches, 

I have been thinking about quick and easy lunches...

for me!

Things that are light, bright and colorful to make the midday meal a little more festive.

Chicken Wing Salad is my newest fun feast, 

and it goes perfectly with the new lunch box I bought for MYSELF...

It starts with a bed of small Persian cucumbers and thinly sliced shallots...

drizzled with dressing...

and topped with lemon garlic chicken wings.

I mean, really 

is there anything that makes you say "Yay" to lunch like a fresh batch of wings??

Chicken Wing Salad
Serves 2

10-12 Chicken Wings marinated in the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 olive oil and 2 minced garlic cloves
6 Persian Cucumbers thinly sliced (or 3 regular cucumbers)
1 shallot thinly sliced

Marinate wings for at least an hour then grill or bake until fully cooked and golden brown.  Toss cucumbers and shallots with dressing and top with wings!

For dressing whisk together
3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons Light (in color) olive oil
1/2 minced shallot
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

Jack's Spiral Spiced Veggie Sandwich

My son has been trying to perfect the Veggie Sandwich.

Top on his priority list:

-not boring
-keep all the vegetables from falling out
-olive on a toothpick garnish

(he is an old, nostalgic soul)

Any by George I think he's done it.

He added a touch of herbs and spice, spiralized the produce 

and hit the olive bar for his sandwich topper.

He uses crisp, colorful, curly ingredients...

(carrots, romaine lettuce, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, radish, zucchini)

Sriracha Mayo

(equal parts of each, stirred together)

and his secret ingredient, 

Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute.

It s a magical mixture of twenty-one salt-free spices 

like onion, cumin, oregano, parsley, basil, mustard...

spread mayo on both lightly toasted bread slices...

layer on the veggies and sprinkle it on...

Secure it all with an olive topped toothpick...

and eat the rainbow!

What's for lunch? Beef and Barley Veggie Bowl

One of my favorite soups is Beef and Barley.

It's savory and hearty, the perfect Fall meal.

Since the temperature is still hovering around 85 degrees, 

and it is not quite soup weather, so I decided to put all the flavors into a salad.

Introducing the Beef and Barley Bowl!

I started with the dressing in the bottom of the bowl.

In goes plain greek yogurt...

whisked with balsamic vinegar, dashes of worcestershire sauce and honey, 

then fresh thyme...

then pile on cooked barley...

steak...

peas...

carrots and celery...

and finally, toss in tomatoes and onion...

stir all together and lunch is served...

Mmmmm good...

Beef and Barley Veggie Bowl
serves 1

for dressing, whisk together:
1 Tablespoon plain greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
dashes of worcestershire sauce and honey
1 tsp. fresh thyme

Place dressing on bottom of your bowl and add:
1 cup of barley, cooked in beef broth
1 cup cubed steak
1/2 cup fresh peas
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

Mix all together and enjoy

What's for lunch? Salami Salad

Now that school is back in session, 

I am home working most weekdays during lunch.

I am such a creature of habit most days and tend to make the same thing over and over.

I am challenging myself to liven it up with at least one quick and festive midday meal a week.

So with no further ado...

What's for Lunch?

I start with one of my favorite bowls and fill it with arugula...

(about 3 cups)

garbanzo beans, 

(1/2 a can, beans, rinsed and dried)

fresh lemon juice, 

(about 1/2 a lemon)

a touch of olive oil and toss.

(1-2 Tablespoons)

Then sliced salami...

and diced pepper jack cheese.

It's all the flavors of one of my favorite sandwiches without the bread or mayo.

Now that's a lively lunch!

Opening Day Baseball Lunch

There is nothing my son would like more than for someone to
take him out to the ball game on Opening Day!
But since he'll be at school,
I've got the next best thing, a ball park inspired lunch.

A stadium "hot dog" is a
 rolled ham sandwich with zig zag mustard in a bun... 

I "bought us some" peanuts and Cracker Jacks, 

making this regular brown bag lunch into and All Star meal.

But I felt like I needed to add just a touch of color...

Just a little something Giant for the home team crowd...

but really, I'm not biased...