I work from home. Sometimes this is a bad thing as it can lead to an inordinate number of days spent in general dishabille, aka slovenliness. Not to mention the pancake-ass that develops from endless sitting in my writing chair, sheepskin cover or no. But there's also the delight of taking my laptop to the couch, in front of a crackling fire; the joy of never having to speak to another human (UPS man notwithstanding); and the mixed blessing of being able to make myself lunch. Every. Single. Day. Even when I don't feel like cooking (because we all know that cooking for one can be a real bore), I just rustle around in the fridge and the cupboards, scouring for whatever strikes my fancy. Canned salmon? Maybe. Quesadilla? Occasionally. Soba noodles. OK. But most often—especially these veg-centric days—some configuration of lettuces and seeds and pickles that is entirely dependent on appetite, availability and inspiration. So this post is less a recipe than an invitation to paint with a palette of greens, as I did with the plate of arugula, spiced pumpkin seeds and ricotta salata (left over from this carrot salad), simply tossed with lemon juice and olive oil (pictured above).

While surfing the fridge, I came across a compact rectangular package of this dark German bread you may have seen on the shelf at your grocery store. Because of G's gluten intolerance, we don't have bread hanging around the house, but this comes sealed in plastic to preserve its dense, m***t texture and keeps very well in the fridge. It's sold in a variety of healthy grain and seed combinations. I ended up plopping a load of my salad atop a toasted slice and eating it with my hands and a fork. It was delicious and satisfying, fresh and fully flavored—and easy enough to take to work. Package the ingredients separately (I love these wax bags) and bring a little jar of dressing so you can toss everything together right before eating.