{meatless monday} — audrey michelle’s simple house salad

sometimes, i just want crunch, texture, tangy, salty, slightly cheesy, light food.  and usually i crave a salad.  i eat really well, generally speaking.  i have a healthy, well-balanced diet.  and so if i’m craving something, i listen to that craving.  i have noticed i’ll crave something like this simple salad after i’ve loaded up on too many carbs or rich proteins.  it’s like my body finds a way to tell me i need the balance… so cool.

i’ve been kind of a slacker eater this past week.  i was up in the mountains for work a couple weeks ago and the company gave us a pretty hefty per diem for food, so i just splurged.  plus, it’s a 3-hour ride so we snacked and snacked! also, uhm… continental breakfast!?  yes, please.  every morning!

anyway, i’ve been craving more light foods because of all the snacking i did while on my work-vacation. i mean, i still had a salad every day.  but i also ate things like beer-braised slow cooked beef on fresh baked artisan bread slathered with avocado, topped with tomatoes and pickled onions, cilantro and salsa.  HOLY SMOKES, it was amazing.  also – plenty of donuts, eggs, bagels, waffles, bacon, cookies, parmesan crisps, etc.  are you getting the picture?!  i was a total pig!

i find september to be a funny month.  i said to my roommate the other day, “it’s like i don’t know what to eat, what to wear…” it’s a transitional month.  i’m ready to let go of extra salads, but not quite ready for root veggies yet.  what i suppose i should really be doing is cleansing!  …

time to counteract some of that binge-eating with a light salad full of nutrients and healing properties.

why oh why did i forget to include the pretty avocado in this picture?! anyway, i add avocado as well to :

– romaine lettuce {not much nutrition, but oh-so-fun crunch!}

– cucumber

– cabbage

– olive mix

– carrots

– tomatoes

– mushrooms

– bean sprouts {or any kind of sprout, really!}

and of course, tons of parmesan and italian dressing.  i was SO italian at least twice in a previous life!

toss in some spinach for extra protein and calcium as well as overall nutrition.

chop and combine ingredients.  drizzle dressing and smother in cheese.

i just… i love this simple “house” salad. it’s a go-to for me, i probably make it at least 2-3 times a week.  it reminds me of my waitressing days in maryland… biking {literally} uphill both ways in the sweltering heat of the east coast summer, to work at an italian-seafood cuisine restaurant.  the house salad at the restaurant was similar to this, and i had it every day for lunch along with house-made maryland-style crab soup.  YUM!!!!

i just… i want to eat one RIGHT NOW!

Tags: easy, healthy, light, meatless monday, salad, simple, vegan, vegetarian