The Meditteranean Diet in a Bowl

Yes, you can take a shortcut. Use canned cannellini beans. Yes, you can whip this up in no time, AND you can prepare it the night before. Bring it out about one hour before using. From there you can customize it to enjoy as a nutritious lunch, as a vegetarian dinner or as the easiest side to serve with a roasted chicken or any grilled meat. Here's the recipe in printable format.

Couldn't be easier unless I came over and made it for you. All you do is chop, slice, rinse, drain, crumble, measure and mix. It's all in one bowl--even the dressing.

Mediterranean flavors and ingredients are seasoned and tossed in one bowl. This salad may make you long for a simple taverna by a pebble beach. The one below is in Corinth, Greece.

Try it over sliced avocado or a roasted sweet potato. Maybe a few thick heirloom tomato slices on a platter, this salad over that and a generous drizzle of good olive oil over everything. Crumble more blue cheese on top and finish with a few fronds of fresh dill.

Grilled, broiled or sauteed chicken or fish with this salad on the side makes an easy weeknight dinner, and if you're vegetarian, go with halved boiled eggs or broiled portobello mushrooms instead of the chicken and fish. Here's the recipe.

What a fabulous busy work lunch idea! Pack it in a glass container, set it on your desk to knock the chill off, and eat it as soon as you're hungry. We've also enjoyed it as a salad side to sandwiches. It's easy to reach for potato chips with a sandwich, but this salad is just as easy if you keep it on hand.