How many salads is enough? 101

My husband and I have been subscribers of the New York Times for nearly three years. I absolutely love everything about it. One of the things I love most is, not surprisingly, the Dining section, which runs Wednesdays. The writers are all top-notch, and I usually read it cover-to-cover. Yes, even the restaurant reviews. And no, I still haven't been to New York City (soon, I swear).

Of all the writers, my favorite is Mark Bittman. He has a column each week called the Minimalist, and it's pretty much how it sounds. Delicious meals, simply made. In fact -- another shocking discovery -- I have his amazing cookbook "How to Cook Everything" in my kitchen constantly. It's the original one -- it's a great book, and I highly recommend it (or the updated 10th anniversary edition) to anyone.

Bittman has come up with several lists of 101 different types of dishes. One was 101 meals to make in 10 minutes or less. Another was picnic dishes. All of them have been fascinating. We've tried some of his recipes from a variety of the lists, and they've mostly been delicious -- and always simple!

His newest list, 101 Simple Salads for the Season, ran in today's Times. I couldn't wait to check it out. As I read the list, I kept thinking that it was like he'd read my mind -- or at least my previous blog on ways to get more vegetables on my plate. And as I perused his ideas, a list of must-try salads quickly formed in my head. Here's three that I plan on making:

7. Grate carrots, toast some sunflower seeds, and toss with blueberries, olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Sweet, sour, crunchy, soft.

13. A red salad: Combine tomato wedges with halved strawberries, basil leaves, shaved Parmesan and balsamic vinegar.

99. Toss cooked quinoa with fresh sliced apricots, cherries, pecans and enough lemon and black pepper to make the whole thing savory.

So, go check it out. Now! The list is at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?_r=1.