the simplest salad

summertime calls for light and simple preparations. it's just too damn hot to create elaborate meals, and it's really hard to digest heavy foods. i got to make my favorite "3 herb salad" the other day for my parent's house warming party and indeed, it was just the perfect combo of simple and light and yet so tasty, it was a huge hit! i snagged this recipe from a french girl i worked with at the Beverly Hills Hotel. basically it goes like this:

-tear up butterleaf lettuce leaves into a bowl (washed of course)
-chop italian parsley, fresh mint and cilantro and sprinkle over the lettuce (don't be afraid to use plenty of herbs)
-drizzle your favorite olive oil
-squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste
-freshly crack some sea salt and black pepper (also try himalayan sea salt or lemon pepper if you're feeling funky)
-toss to coat and enjoy right away so the leaves don't wilt.
-yum!

now i had no idea how simple salad can really be until i went to a yoga class at the golden bridge last night, a sunday night class, and was so pleasantly surprised that we were served a well deserved dinner after an incredilbly challenging class! mung beans and salad. utterly simple, and completely divine. it doesn't get easier than this, however it may require a bit of effort to procure a couple of key items that make it all worthwhile. of course, the goodness in "simple" is derived from the quality of the items, so this is where a bit of effort comes into play. here are the only ingredients you need for this impeccably delightful garden treat:

-organic field greens (baby greens or a spring mix will do, however doesn't "field" sound so summery?)
-your favorite olive oil
-apple cider vinegar (i guess it should be organic, right?)
-now here's the secret ingredient: Braggs Liquid Amino Acids - replaces any need for seasoning, plus it is packed with nutrients and gives the dressing the most delectable flavor ever! you can get this at whole foods or any natural food store.
-it's that easy and it's to die for. toss some alongside a cheese omlette, a piece of grilled chicken, a grilled cheese sandwhich, whatever you have in the fridge!

and finally, day 3 of being inspired by simple salads - my friend Ellie gave me some salad seasoning called Goya salad and veggie seasoning and told me it is the best dressing ever, just add fresh lemon juice and oil and presto! so i had some fresh butterleaf lettuce, live on the root and some grilled corn left over from the weekend.

-butterleaf lettuce, tear up leaves
-grilled corn, cut off the cob
-olive oil
-fresh lemon juice
-Goya salad seasoning

triple yum.