What could be better than hot and tasty pepper chicken, veg and curry chick peas…in January…when you can’t…won’t face driving winter roads at lunch time. A sandwich…when it’s cold out? Soup? Mmmm chemicals and I am still hungry! Perfect Prep makes incredible lunches for a budget! It may be cold outside, but a wonderful meal to look forward to during a hard day in the office, on site, anywhere… Perfect Prep makes healthy lunches and I freeze them by recipe in bags in my deep freezer, pick a different one out every night for the next day. Great way to count calories and try to trim the Christmas fat…or baking with butter as I call it! 5 different recipes and they are so good!!!
Everyone envies me in the lunch room at the office and I keep telling them…order and freeze them cause they cost the same as if you made them yourself! No MSG, all organic, and hearty!. It is the only time I truly can dine at my desk…no dress code in effect!
So when the weather turns warm…and you just have to have a salad…It’s off to the salad bar! I just love getting extra tomatoes without asking…just a sprinkle of onions…no…no not too many…just enough for that tangy crunch every so often. I LOVE my salads the best! Other pre-made salads are my last resort and if I have to…Superstore rocks those out the best against every grocery store, but Co-Op is the DOMINATOR of Salad Bars! Safeway…the salad recipes are good…but usually stale`ish, small and pricey…however the Safeway Signature Sandwich Bar…my god! I always pick one up for my ski day…and it tastes like heaven on the hill! (I will save the sandwich rant for another day), back to salads…mostly…all pre-made salads are ok… but usually too heavy here…too light there…my way is always the right way.
With the cost of produce in Alberta…the salad bar can often give you better value to get exclusively your favorite salad items, the way you like them…granted in smaller amounts, but no waste. Two Large Salad Bar Salads usually gives hubby and I supper, (with some bread.) and lunch the next day. It`s not just rabbit food for me either…oh no…load it up with chicken, eggs, nuts, cheese…oh yes cheese!…black olives are kinda like the onions. Depending on the time of year throw in some berries or melon…Melon and Poppy Seed dressing tastes like summer! I love the Salad Bar…my favorite recipe is as follows:
Bed of greens…preferably spinach…romaine is the last choice.
Next Red Peppers…scattered all over the greens.
Just an ever so light and random sprinkle of finely cut Red Onion.
Tomatoes, preferably cut, not the grape style…can be bitter, but LOTS…since child birth…I have asked for…extra tomatoes please.
Mini Bocconcini Cheese about 6 balls all shoved in the NW corner
Sprinkle any shredded Cheese all over the salad as well please…
Sprinkle with Cooked Chicken like the Red Peppers
Hard Boiled Eggs, I like about 1 full Egg in the NE Corner
sprinkle with Walnuts or Sunflower Seeds
Sprinkle top with Bacon Bits
Chick Peas mixed equally with black beans in the SW Corner
Pickled Beets in the SE Corner…I treat those like dessert and eat them last.
Poppy Seed Dressing all over…Renee`s is best! YUM-MY!!!!
