A club sandwich, turned into a bright bowl of greens you can build in 10 minutes

Some days you do not have it in you to cook, and that is allowed. This salad asks almost nothing of you. If there is cooked turkey in the fridge, or a roast chicken winding down its second life, you are most of the way there. 10 minutes, no stove, real food on the plate, which matters more than ambition on a tired day.

Turkey is a source of protein and selenium, involved in thyroid function and the body's antioxidant defenses. The greens and fresh basil add folate and vitamin K, and the olive oil in the dressing carries the kind of fat that helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in those greens. These are steady, ordinary nutrients, which is most of what the body actually wants.

There is something worth pausing over in a meal like this. The turkey on your plate was an animal, and the greens grew in soil and rain. A quiet thank you costs nothing and changes the way you eat. Build the bowl with a little care, and it gives that care back.

Ingredients

• 8 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups chopped fresh basil
• 1 lb cooked, chopped turkey
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 slices cooked bacon, clean-label, no added sugar or nightshade spices
• 2 tbsp sliced green onion

Dressing:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp minced onion
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Swaps made: The original is already AIP-friendly, so the only change is to specify a clean-label bacon free of added sugar and nightshade spices such as paprika. Use cooked chicken in place of turkey if that is what you have.

Method

• Add the greens, basil, chopped turkey, cranberries, crumbled bacon, and green onion to a large bowl.
• In a separate jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced onion, parsley, oregano, garlic, ginger, and salt until combined. Chill both the salad and the dressing if you have a few minutes.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss just before serving so the greens stay crisp.

*Adapted from a-clean-plate*