A "recipe" that will help you make the perfect 'meal salad' since it describes all the basic steps for a successful salad, whatever ingredients you have at home. The 'meal salad' can be used as a quick option when there isn't any food prepared. It's refreshing for summer and will help us increase our overall vegetable intake. It also fills us because it is full of nutrients.

The five elements of the 'meal salad'

1. We choose the base of the salad.

That is the vegetables we choose to make the salad. We pick at least three different types of vegetables. We can cut the vegetables in imaginative ways, for instance, the cucumber into thin slices instead of pieces, grating the carrot, etc. Thus, there will be different textures in the salad, which will make it more interesting. We wash the vegetables thoroughly and remove excess water using a salad strainer or simply drying them with a clean towel. That will help the salad not lose its volume and taste.

2. We choose a carbohydrate source.

It can be barley or carob rusks, quinoa, groat, colorful spaghetti, baby potatoes, croutons, breadsticks, toasts, etc. Carbohydrate will give us the necessary energy; it completes the trinity we need at every meal (carbohydrate-protein-vegetable or fruit) and makes us feel full. Preferably we choose it wholemeal.

3. We choose a protein source.

Protein sources can be of animal or vegetable origin. We can more often choose legumes, such as red beans, white beans, lupins, soybeans, or tofu. Sometimes we can choose a protein source, like grilled chicken, tuna in water, salmon, boiled shrimp, boiled egg, or cheese. Finally, we can rarely add cold meats, like turkey, prosciutto, or bresaola.

4. We choose a spice or some extra material.

We can add aromatic plants, such as mint, basil, samphire, parsley, fennel, ginger, capers, garlic, avocado, etc., so our salad acquires an original taste. We can add nuts for a crunchier effect or raisins or dried fruit. Also, fresh fruit is delicious in a salad; this is convenient if we forget to eat it during the rest of the day.

5. We make the sauce in a jar with a lid.

There must be a delicious sauce to complete the 'meal salad'! We mix the fat we want to use (like olive oil or linseed oil or rapeseed oil, etc.) together with some acid (like lemon or grape vinegar or apple cider vinegar or orange juice, etc.), salt, and spices (like black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric, chili, etc.). We try to make it slightly more salty and acidic than we would; it will create a balanced taste when we mix everything together. We can add some mustard or yogurt or mayonnaise. We shake well to make a homogeneous sauce with a nice texture. Add the desired amount to the salad (too little will make it tasteless, while too much will weigh it down) and mix well. The 'meal salad' is ready!