Easy Lunch Salad Three Ways

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Take your basic crispy salad base with bell peppers and pack it for lunch with fun protein toppings like roasted salmon, curry lentils or tortilla chicken.

One of the big mistakes I see in how people approach healthy eating is focusing on restriction when they set goals.

I will only eat sweets on the weekends

I’m going to give up soda.

I won’t eat more than two slices of pizza.

When I work with clients, I like to focus on adding positive behaviors, not subtracting. Instead of trying to save up sweets for the weekend (and then probably overeating them!), could you add in a stress-relieving activity after work, rather than immediately going into the kitchen scrounging for cookies? Instead of giving up soda, could you drink more water? Instead of setting a limit for how much pizza you’re allowed to eat, could you slow down and tune into your fullness levels, so you know the point to stop before you’re stuffed?

One of the positive behaviors I often work with clients on is packing a lunch more often. While I also highly recommend going out to lunch with coworkers to break up the day, I find having a lunch available most days really makes a difference. When you don’t have anything at the office, it’s so easy to get caught up in the day and work through lunch, or to wait until you’re overly hungry, then eat so much that you’re in a food coma the rest of the afternoon. Neither is the best recipe for a productive work day!

I love the idea of meal prep, which works well for some people, but for others (myself included!), it’s a bit too much. If you travel on the weekends, or just don’t want to devote a Sunday afternoon to the kitchen, trying to prep and cook a whole weeks worth of lunches will be more stress than it’s worth.

That’s where I came up with this idea for salad mix prep. Instead of spending hours in the kitchen prepping lunches, spend 10-15 minutes chopping the ingredients to make this crunchy and versatile salad mix, which you can top with leftovers from dinner to stretch into a filling lunch. It’s an easy way to reduce food waste, save time, and eat more vegetables.

To make a satisfying lunch salad, be sure to top this salad mix with a.) carbohydrates, b.) protein c.) dressing that has some fat in it and d.) a flavor booster or two. There’s no need to spend tons of time prepping separate ingredients – just use what you’ve got on hand! For carbs, you could use crushed tortilla chips, fruit, or leftover roasted sweet potatoes like I did, or dig into your cabinet and heat up some microwavable brown rice or quinoa. To add protein to my salads, I just used leftovers from my main dishes that week – roasted salmon, grilled chicken, and Indian-spiced lentils. If you don’t have any leftovers on hand, top with nuts and cheese, or quickly cook up some hard boiled eggs. To ensure plenty of options for dressing, I like to have a combination of bottled dressings, plus the ingredients to quickly throw together a vinaigrette. I rarely follow a recipe – just eyeball about half vinegar or citrus juice and half extra-virgin olive oil, and if desired, add some fresh garlic, herbs, a dash of mustard, or spices. Flavor boosters can be anything you have in the fridge – olives, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, toasted nuts, herbs – basically anything that’ll get you excited about your salad!

I like this veggie packed salad mix over regular bagged lettuce because I want a salad with tons of crunch – I find that super satisfying. So, I included romaine along with a crunchy mix of produce, like carrots, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and fresh bell peppers, grown by Divine Flavor, the sponsors of this post. I kept it simple so it was versatile for all types of leftovers, but feel free to use whatever raw vegetables you enjoy. Divine Flavor, a family-run, grower-owned distribution company based out of Arizona, also sells tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and green beans that would be delish in here too.

To give examples of how easy this salad mix meal prep is, I gave examples of three “leftover” salads I made with it, all using things I had in my house.

First is a harvest inspired salmon salad topped with leftover roasted salmon, apples I had picked up for snacking, toasted pecans from my freezer, and an easy dressing of balsamic and olive oil. You could also used canned wild salmon if you have that on hand, or other seasonal fruits, like stone fruit in the summer, or strawberries in the spring.

The second is a tortilla salad made with leftover grilled chicken and crushed tortilla chips I had for snacking on with hummus. I used the rest of my feta cheese I had on hand to give it a bit more flavor. For dressing, I used a bottled cilantro dressing, but you could also add a little chili powder to basic ranch dressing too.

The last salad is a curry-spiced lentil and roasted sweet potato salad, made with leftovers from a vegetarian meal. It’s so satisfying with all the fiber in there and I love the sweet and spicy lentils with crunchy fresh vegetables.

Basically, consider these recipe suggestions rather than anything hard and fast! Feel free to adapt and get creative with whatever leftovers or things you need to use up. I keep the salad mix stored in an airtight container with a paper towel inside to soak up extra moisture and found it keeps well for 4-5 days.

Easy Lunch Salad Three Ways

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• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4–5 lunch salads (salad base; toppings vary by portion) 1x
• Diet: Omnivore, Pescatarian

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Description

Three quick and delicious salad variations using simple ingredients. Perfect for a light lunch or a quick weeknight meal.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Crunchy salad base (makes 4–5 lunch portions):

• 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 large carrot, grated or thinly sliced

Salmon salad topping:

• 1 lb (454 g) salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Tortilla chicken salad topping:

• Leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken, shredded
• Crumbled feta or shredded cheddar, to taste
• 2 handfuls tortilla chips, lightly crushed
• Bottled cilantro dressing, to taste

Curry lentil salad topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups cooked lentils
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

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Instructions

Crunchy salad base:

1. Chop the romaine, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the bell peppers and cucumber, and grate or slice the carrot. Toss everything together in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container with a paper towel inside to absorb moisture; keeps 4–5 days in the fridge.

Honey Dijon roasted salmon:

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C). Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray and lay the salmon fillets on top.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, dill, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the salmon.
3. Bake 25 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Let cool, then refrigerate.

Salmon salad (one portion):

1. Pack an individual serving of the salad base into an airtight container. Top with a portion of the leftover roasted salmon, the sliced apple, and the pecans.
2. Mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a small dressing container. Pack separately. Toss apple slices with a little lemon juice to prevent browning if packing ahead.
3. When ready to eat, drizzle with the balsamic dressing and toss.

Tortilla chicken salad (one portion):

1. Pack an individual portion of the salad base into an airtight container and top with the shredded chicken and cheese.
2. Pack the crushed tortilla chips and cilantro dressing separately to prevent wilting.
3. When ready to eat, add the chips and dressing, toss, and enjoy.

Curry lentils and roasted sweet potatoes:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender. Let cool, then refrigerate.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and garlic and sauté until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the lentils and curry powder and cook until warmed through, 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool, then refrigerate.

Curry lentil salad (one portion):

1. Pack an individual serving of the salad base in an airtight container and top with the leftover lentils and sweet potatoes.
2. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and pack separately.
3. When ready to eat, drizzle with the dressing and toss.

Notes

Think of this as a meal-prep template rather than a strict recipe — the salad base stays crisp in the fridge for 4–5 days, and you top each portion with whatever proteins and leftovers you have on hand. Keeping the dressing and any crunchy toppings packed separately until lunchtime is the key to a salad that doesn’t wilt.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 large salad
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 10
• Sodium: 400
• Fat: 20
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Unsaturated Fat: 10
• Carbohydrates: 40
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 25
• Cholesterol: 50

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