From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Easy Lunchtime Salad

My Vancouver Fashion eZine editor Marilyn Wilson once said I always had "the best brown bag lunches." While I'm flattered by such compliments, it's also a little embarrassing because the compliment feels undeserved. I know exactly how little effort such lunches can take. A little bit of planning goes a long way when it comes to being lazy.

Take this lunchtime salad I've been eating lately, for example. It's a spin on a white bean and olive salad recipe from Everyday Food magazine. I spend about 30 minutes making 4 servings for 4 days worth of lunches at once. The high fibre and protein content make for a healthy satisfying meal, plus everything keeps surprisingly well in the fridge as long as you use separate containers and combine all the components just before serving.

White Bean and Olive Salad with Egg, Radish and Mixed Baby Greens

[Dressing]

• Lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients together and put into one airtight container.

[Bean Salad]

• 3 cans white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 kalamata olives

Combine ingredients and divide evenly into 4 airtight containers.

[Greens]

• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 142 g mixed baby greens

Combine ingredients and divide evenly into 4 airtight containers.

[Boiled Eggs]

Put 4 eggs in a saucepan with water, making sure that the water covers the eggs by an inch. Bring saucepan to a rolling boil, wait 10-20 seconds, and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for another 12 minutes before removing them.

Before Eating...

Shake your dressing container. Spoon 1.5 spoonfuls of dressing into a container of greens and a container of bean salad, and shake both. Put on a plate. Peel the egg and slice in half; add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Do you like salads as meals? What are your favourite recipes?