That salad was my reward for this week.
See, this was one of those weeks. Surely, you know the ones. It jolted to a start at a breakneck speed first thing on Monday. After a relaxing weekend running errands and hanging out with my cousins, I realized I had some work due earliy-ish on Monday. I frantically worked to meet a 12 p.m. deadline on this extra project. Frantically. And that is how the whole week felt – just frantic. I got everything done on time every day, but the pace just didn’t stop. I wrote and wrote and wrote, but I never really felt at rest. I just couldn’t turn off the feeling of rushing.
Then today rolled around … and I do mean rolled. I woke up late, after accidentally hitting the off button on the alarm at 6 a.m. instead of snooze. So, off to another breakneck morning, I went and went and went until just before noon when I raised my head from my agenda and realized … I was pretty much done. A few follow up calls later (actually I took a break and then made the calls), it was mid-afternoon and I was free.
At first I was like “what now?”
Then I just started writing. Yes, I finished writing, just to write a little more. You do realize I am a writer, right? Actually, it made sense. I channeled my peaceful feeling into a little get-ahead work. I sent out a few pitches to magazines and then drafted an essay that still needs a lot of work. But that first draft? Getting it on paper felt so, so good.
So this salad was the reward for a week well worked. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are the best rewards . . .
The Easy Tuna Salad
It’s very simple – a nice piece of wild Alaskan tuna that was rubbed with equal parts kosher salt and fresh pepper, browned for about two minutes on each side (I like it medium rare). I cut the tuna into chunks, toss it on a bed of baby greeens (with a few carrots and sunflower seeds) and drizzled it with Sesame Soy dressing from Trader Joe’s. Easy peasy.
Sarah Walker Caron is a cookbook author, freelance writer and founder of Sarah’s Cucina Bella. Her latest cookbook is The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook, published by Rockridge Press, which focuses on quick, easy, from-scratch cooking for busy people. A single mother to two kids in middle school, Sarah loves nightly family dinners, juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine and lazy days on the beach. She also adores reading and traveling.
Cate O'Malley
It is totally about the simple things – salad looks great!
Candelaria Silva
I had two friends over to watch the #1 Ladies Detective Series movies and I made a butternut squash soup and a simple salad with lettuce, english cuke, onions, carrot shaving, tomatoes and italian tuna. That and bread. Simple, delicious, quick instead of my usual more elaborate “company” fare.
Here’s to simplicity.
Stacey Snacks
Sarah,
I swear, I made a salad with chicken for lunch this week (for next week’s post) with the same Trader Joe’s sesame dressing, and I never use bottled dressing! It was excellent!
Where can I buy Alaskan wild tuna???? not here in New Jersey for sure.
We have the same last name……..small world!
Sarah Caron
Thanks, Cate!
Candelaria, so true. That salad and soup sound fantastic.
Stacey, I found it at our local grocery store (small chain). It was a lucky find — and on sale at the time! So funny on the last name. My husband’s family is from upper New England. Have any relatives up there?