You can stop searching. I've found the perfect lunch salad.

It's finally starting to warm up outside, which means I can trick my body into accepting and being satisfied with food that isn't limited to the categories of potato, cheese, noodle, or potato.

I've always had a hard time making a decent salad. I blame this on my Midwestern hotdish upbringing. I often just toss anything that resembles foliage into a bowl and call it a day, even if the flavors clearly aren't interested in mingling with one another. And even if I get the salad right, I screw up the sauce. While grocery shopping I will stand in the salad dressing aisle, identify the ones that I know that I like, then buy a different one. The wild card. Usually in an effort to find some kind of secret flavor marriage that will blow the minds of everyone I share it with. This rarely works out. And the more I talk about it, the more I feel I should have my behavior analyzed by a professional.

But don't worry, my quest is over.

Perfect. Lunch. Salad.

baby spinach
blue cheese crumblies
apple slices (I like galas or cameos)
pecans (or walnuts. Be crazy!)
red wine and olive oil vinaigrette (Trader Joe's makes a nice one.)

That's it folks. This is the simple creation that will have your taste buds begging for more. I don't have a PhD in Saladology, but I'd say its success lies in a few bold flavors, which complement, but don't overpower each other, covered in the supporting glaze of a dressing that will just allow all these ingredients to be who they were meant to be. Yes, “simple” is my new salad dressing mantra. No matter how much I want to like “Organic Mermaidy Green Garlic,” or whatever the last one was, I'm just not ready.

I’d also like to point out that for you, dear readers, I braved the stigma I’m sure to face by taking a picture of my salad in my workplace break room, where I am still sort of new-ish. “Lunch photographer.” Let’s just add that to the list along with “sweaty bicyclist lady” and “the one who is too often trying to get muffin crumbs out of her keyboard.” Super.