This is one of the lunch salads I make a few times each summer. The blue cheese is optional, and you can use chicken instead of steak. This dressing is the easiest one I make -- no need to emulsify, it comes together with a hand blender and stays that way.

I admit, this recipe is more involved than my others. But it is so insanely delicious, nutritious & perfect for fall & winter that going to share it for those who enjoy cooking. It’s a weekend kind of project, when you are putzing around the house doing chores & can assemble the various elements before dinner.

Like so many original recipes, this recipe started with a need to use what I already had on hand. A beautiful bag of green beans I’d received in my farm box, and a bag of miniature bell peppers.

I’d recently had a dish with pickled peppers in it, and I was still thinking about them. And that is how the idea for this recipe was born.

Writing recipes is tricky business, because so much comes down to technique. In this case, cooking the green beans well (not too much or two little), and balancing the flavors of the dressing.

It’s hard to convey those techniques with words. Pay close attention to not overcook the green beans, keeping in mind they’ll continue cooking a bit in the vinegary dressing.

And don’t be afraid to adjust the seasonings—it usually takes me 3 or 4 iterations to get it right. This one should have a good hit of vinegar, balanced with honey. If it’s too tart, add more honey, if it’s too sweet, add a tiny splash more of vinegar.

Most of us need more dark leafy greens in our diet, as well as more vegetables in general. One way I’ve found to get more vegetables into my diet while juggling the business of work and family life, is to prep one salad that I eat for lunch the whole week. Each week I do a slight variation, to make sure I’m getting enough variety throughout the course of any given month.

While in Vermont many years ago, we had the chance to experience making maple syrup on a friend’s family farm. One night his girlfriend at the time, my friend Julie, made borscht, and it was the best borsht of my life. I got close to recreating it once, but it’s generally been a soup I strike out with again and again, to our chickens benefit. But I’ve kept trying, determined to get it right.

This is a summer staple, a dish the kids and adults enjoy equally. I often make a big batch to eat all week, dressing it just before serving.. Everytime I bring it to a party, I get asked for the recipe. The brown rice ramen cooks in 3 minutes, making it mainly a dish of chopping, extra compelling on a hot summer’s day. It’s versatile— you can add whatever vegetables you have on hand, or keep things separate for picky eaters.