I know this might look like a real recipe, but it really isn’t. Yes, it’s food, and yes, it’s satisfying and delicious. But you can swap out any of the ingredients for a customized version, no recipe required.
Take a closer peek into this bowl of goodness…
For this salad, I started with a hefty layer of baby spinach lining the bottom of the bowl. Added some roasted veggie couscous, sautéed fish (cod, in this case), baby plum tomatoes, avocado, and a couple olives. Fresh lime, sea salt, and black pepper made the perfect dressing for something that needs so little adornment to be perfect.
I used baby spinach because I always have it on hand. (It’s so versatile! I love it in everything from a smoothie, an omelet, a side dish wilted with some garlic and olive oil, or a salad like this.) Any greens you like or have on hand are great though. After I add the greens, I like to play with the other veggies I use…sometimes carrot, snap peas or snow peas, cucumber, red pepper, or leftover grilled corn make their way into the bowl, but tomatoes are my favorite this time of year. Avocado is something I always try to add since it’s full of heart-healthy fats.
Sometimes I switch the couscous salad for bulgur wheat salad or barley salad. Fish (any kind really…salmon is also great) lends itself wonderfully to this salad, or if I have leftover chicken or beef on hand, they’re also fine in the mix. If I’m in a vegetarian kind of mood, I’ll skip the meat and instead add beans, nuts, egg, or tofu.
The olives are another great source of healthy fat, but they’re also a fun thing to add to a salad since they provide a burst of flavor. Depending on the other things that I’m putting together in my salad, instead of olives I might use a small handful of crumbled feta or goat cheese, a couple slices of sharp cheddar, or a small handful of dried fruit.
And there you have it. Not really a recipe, but definitely worth making anyway. Do you have a favorite non-recipe recipe?
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Cherine says
August 31, 2012 at 5:47 amA very healthy salad!
deana says
August 31, 2012 at 6:10 amThat is a great salad… I love things like this that get you through a long day in a delicious healthy way… and great to look at too!
Rosa says
August 31, 2012 at 6:11 amWonderful summer food!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
August 31, 2012 at 7:48 amI love meals like this that are totally adaptable to whatever you have on hand OR whatever you prefer! Delicious salad and a great way to get in those summer veggies!
Erica says
August 31, 2012 at 10:53 amI’m obsessed with avocado right now! Its just delicious. Great salad :) I make stir fry on the regular. Sometimes I may my own sauce, but grabbing a bottle of simple stir fry sauce….just makes it so easy! Ground turkey, baby corn, water chesnuts, broccoli & sauce. Top it all with sesame seeds!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
August 31, 2012 at 11:27 amI do a variation of this all the time as well but it usually beans, greens and veggies – really what I already have cooked in the fridge!
BeadedTail says
August 31, 2012 at 11:41 amLove how you combine so many things into one fresh, healthy dish! Great ideas Faith!
Jeanette says
August 31, 2012 at 6:59 pmLove this “non-recipe” Faith – I like looking through my fridge and pulling all the little containers of leftovers out to see what I can conjure up.
Vicki Bensinger says
August 31, 2012 at 10:25 pmYou and I should meet for lunch sometime if we are ever in the same town. This is how I love to eat. So refreshing and nourishing. I crave veggies all the time. I also like spinach in my smoothies. You should try the one I just posted that I taught in a raw food class. Everyone loved it although skeptical of a green drink.
Beautiful salad!
tania@mykitchenstories.com.au says
September 1, 2012 at 6:56 amYes I just like to throw a whole lot of crunchy things into a bowl and much my way through it
Daniela @ FoodRecipesHQ says
September 1, 2012 at 11:22 amThanks for being so honest about the recipe: no recipe but lots of ideas!
Girlnpurpledres says
September 1, 2012 at 1:20 pmGorgeous! I love a salad with mozarella & basil with tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and prawns! bizarre but true!
Jessie says
September 1, 2012 at 4:53 pmThis is exactly the kind of “recipe” I like, where it’s more of a guide than a step-by-step list. Customization lets us be creative in the kitchen — and we get to eat what we like! My favorite kind of non-recipe is to prepare a bunch of “Parts” on the weekend, usually a mix of grains, vegetables, proteins, so that I can combine them during the week in different ways for lots of complete meals!
Reeni says
September 1, 2012 at 7:41 pmThat is one big bowl of healthy and delicious yumminess Faith! I love throwing whatever I have on hand into a salad like this!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
September 2, 2012 at 8:07 pma big bow of summer goodness. salads are my go to meals during the summer and your version sounds like a winner!
Krista says
September 2, 2012 at 9:20 pmI love this, Faith, because it’s pretty and healthy and I can almost taste everything you’ve put in there. :-) As spring arrives here in Oz, I actually want to eat salads again, and I’m off to the kitchen to get one right now. :-)
Jessica says
September 2, 2012 at 9:47 pmOh, Faith!! This is gorgeous and I already know I would be completely addicted to this. I’m going to try it out. Looks too fresh to pass up! Beautiful photo like always :)
mimi says
September 3, 2012 at 10:53 amSimple, easy and delicious. My kind of non-recipe.
Mimi
Sanjeeta kk says
September 4, 2012 at 12:33 amMy perfect summer time meal I look forward to…easy, quick and healthy! Lovely clicks, Faith.