The perfect post-gym lunch, this bright salad has all the fiber, protein, and good fats you need to get you through the day. It's also one of those dishes that gets even better as it sits, making it ideal to pack for the office or a flight. Prepare the vegetable mixture up to several days ahead, then add the lettuce before you head out.

This is one of those recipes that doesn't require much planning—just a well-stocked pantry and whatever vegetables happen to be in your refrigerator. The beauty of a Niçoise-inspired salad is its flexibility. It's the perfect way to clean out the crisper drawer while still feeling elegant enough for guests. That said, a few things are non-negotiable for me: basil, potatoes, and good olives. Everything else is up to you.

At my grandparents’ farm in the summer, we’d be out all day shooting BB guns and breaking the windows of abandoned barns. But just before dinner, Grandma would be in her porch rocking chair with a bushel of ears. “Go wash your filthy hands,” she’d say, “and help me shuck this corn.”California’s peak-season corn is as sweet as candy. Playing with textures, this salad mixes raw and roasted kernels in a pickly marinade. The Sungolds give it a sweet-tart kick, and the watermelon gherkins—tiny, football-shaped cukes—bring crunch. Add creamy cheese and bitter greens, and we’re reaching for all the spokes on the flavor wheel.Don’t mix this salad too far ahead. You want the flavors together but separate. Throw the herbs in right before serving. If you want herbs to last, treat them like gold. Wrap them in a dry paper towel inside a moist paper towel, then stow them in a ziplock or resealable silicone bag in the fridge and don’t put anything heavy on top. Before they go in the dish, get a little rough with them. Give them a tear.