Celebrating Simplicity: A French Bistro Salad

Since we moved it’s been a little slow-going getting back into the swing of cooking, especially healthy meals that contain things like vegetables and salad.  Balanced eating took a detour for a few weeks while Wes and I lived out of a suitcase and Nate lived with a friend in Colorado while all of our stuff lived in a Penske truck behind a Springhill Suites.

 

But now.  Now we’re in a house that has all of our stuff, a new fridge and a kitchen that’s about twice as big as our old one.  So the excuse behind not eating well because we were in limbo?  Yeah, that’s not really flying these days.

 

I’ve also started leaning more toward making simple food again.  Not that exotic flavors or new combinations aren’t awesome and exciting – they are – but there’s just something about enjoying food in its simplest forms that is really intriguing to me.  Simplifying life is a big goal right now.  And lunch?  Lunch has to be simple, easy, fast, and more important taste good.

The other day we had a knock at our door and when we opened it found a huge box from Organic Girl with two brand-new products in it.  VEGETABLES!  SALAD!  DELIVERED RIGHT TO MY FRONT DOOR!!!  The excuses flew out the window as I opened the box and put the vive la France mix and baby kale in the fridge, and I started dreaming of what I could make with them…

 

I don’t know if I’ve ever shared with y’all how much I have wanted to visit France for the longest time.  I don’t speak French and I’ve never actually been to Europe, but I just really believe that I would fall in love with the French culture, language and the FOOD should I ever get a chance to visit.  I like to think that I already know a lot about all of that anyway since I used to read French Women Don’t Get Fat all the time – not to learn the diet techniques, but to learn about the appreciation of food Mireille Guiliano talks about.  It all seems so very romantic and right up my alley, but alas there’s a cost associated with that kind of travel that just doesn’t agree with us right now.

 

When I saw the vive la France mix from Organic Girl I immediately transported myself to a French bistro (or what I believe that would look like) and made myself a simple salad that has made me look forward to lunch again in our new kitchen.

A FRENCH BISTRO SALAD

• 2 cups Organic Girl vive la France salad mix
• 2 hard boiled eggs (instructions to follow)
• 2 Tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• pinch of salt
• pinch of fresh ground black pepper

How to make perfect hard-boiled eggs:  This method is and always has been fail-proof for perfect hard-boiled eggs.  In a pot place a layer of large eggs on the bottom; take care to only put the number of eggs that can fit without overlapping or stacking.  Cover with water until there’s about one inch above the eggs.  Place on the stove and cover with a lid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once the water is boiling set the timer for 12 minutes exactly.  While the eggs are boiling fill a bowl with ice and water.  As soon as the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the water and place in the ice bath.  Let them sit for at least 5 minutes in the ice bath, then use what you need or refrigerate.  Voila!

 

How to make the dressing:  Super simple here.  Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper until smooth and well-incorporated.  The end.

 

For the salad:  Place the greens on a plate, slice the eggs as you like, and then stream the dressing (whatever amount you like) over the top.  Eat and enjoy!

This may not be truly French, but to me it’s the simple flavors that make this a highlight of my day in food!