The No-Stove Salad Meal

Hearty salads on summer days satisfy in more ways than one: They are filling and can serve as the centerpiece of a meal, and they don’t require heating up the oven or stove. A blender is the only kitchen appliance required.

One of my favorite salads from my days in Chicago was from the Wishbone, a Southern-style restaurant with an eclectic menu. Its tahineh dressing was the inspiration for this lemony dressing, perfect with canned tuna and sweet cherry tomatoes.

Serve with cornmeal muffins or rolls from your favorite bakery and, for dessert, sweet peaches and cream. Then, with all the time you saved in the kitchen, settle down and savor this meal.

Menu (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

Tuna Salad with Lemon-Tahineh Dressing

Corn Muffins

Sliced Peaches and Cream

COUNTDOWN

30 minutes before: Prepare dressing and set aside.

20 minutes before: Blend muffin mix and put in oven to bake.

15 minutes before: Wash lettuce.

10 minutes before: Mix tuna, mayonnaise and onion.

5 minutes before: Assemble salad.

INGREDIENTS

Shopping List

1 pint heavy cream

2 cups mixed salad greens

1 head romaine lettuce

1 small red onion

3 ripe peaches

4 corn muffins or dinner rolls

1 container alfalfa sprouts

1 (15-ounce) jar sesame tahineh

6 cherry tomatoes

1 (6-ounce) can albacore tuna

Staples

Dijon mustard

Egg

Honey

Lemons

Mayonnaise

Milk

Oil

Salt

LEMON-TAHINEH DRESSING (IT’S A SNAP)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup tahineh

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup oil

Salt

This recipe makes more dressing than you’ll need for the tuna salad. Keep the extra for use on other salads through the week.

Process water, tahineh, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, oil and salt to taste in blender until smooth. Store in jar up to 1 week in refrigerator.

1 cup dressing. Each 2-tablespoon serving:

171 calories; 76 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.38 gram fiber.

TUNA SALAD (IT’S A SNAP)

1 head romaine lettuce

1 (6-ounce) can albacore tuna

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)

2 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup alfalfa sprouts

1/4 cup Lemon-Tahineh Dressing

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Remove tough, discolored outer leaves from romaine. Rinse and dry tender, more delicate leaves and tear into bite-size pieces.

Mix tuna with mayonnaise and red onion.

Toss romaine and mixed greens with enough dressing to coat.

Divide lettuce between shallow bowls and top with sprouts, tomatoes and tuna mixture. Drizzle with more dressing and serve.

2 servings. Each serving:

382 calories; 175 mg sodium; 39 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 1.94 grams fiber.

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Chef’s Tip

Pour cream over sliced fresh summer peaches. No dessert is easier to make this time of year.

Tahineh, available in Middle Eastern markets and at many supermarkets, is a paste of finely ground sesame seeds. It must be thoroughly stirred before being used; repeatedly plunge a table knife, wooden spoon handle or other sturdy utensil to the bottom of the jar to loosen and break up the solids before attempting to stir.

* Lace pottery plates from CJ’s Gourmet Emporium, Pasadena. Tablecloth from Room With a View, Santa Monica.