Sometimes you just need something fast, simple and filling for dinner.  I work from home and can’t always stop and prepare a meal that takes a lot of time.  Tonight was one of those nights.  My husband was traveling so it was just me.  I wanted something green but all I have was one package of pre-cut salad greens.  This was the type of cabbage and carrot strips already in the mix.  It had simple ice-berg lettuce.

Iceberg lettuce gets a bad rap as being known to have no nutritional value.  It doesn’t have a lot but it does have something.  Only10 calories a cup, you can eat a lot of value.  In fact, I prepared the whole bag just for me.  Don’t know if I’ll get through it all but it won’t hurt.  Here’s the nutritional value of iceberg lettuce so you know it holds its own:

0ne cup of iceberg lettuce:

• 8.0 calories
• 0.5 gram protein
• 0.7 gram fiber
• 10 milligrams calcium
• 78 milligrams potassium
• 1.5 milligrams vitamin C
• 16 micrograms folate
• 13.3 micrograms of vitamin K
• 164 micrograms beta carotene
• 152 micrograms of lutein + zeaxanthin

Not bad and better than nothing.  Since I’m into adding more protein to each meal I added about 1/4 cup walnuts and 1 veggie patty.  I try to keep something pre-made in the freezer for emergencies.  I’m on the way to eating perfectly but perfection is not yet completely mine.  There are days and times when I have to fudge a bit so pre-made veggie burgers and other foods come in handy.

Then I added some poppy seed dressing.  Not the best thing but it was in the refrigerator.  I used about two tablespoon which didn’t give me a satisfying taste.  So I squeezed some fresh lemon over the salad with a pinch of salt which worked beautiful.

Simple, fast, delicious, satisfying.  Try it for a quick meal any time of day.

What do you have when you need a meal really fast?