A little over a month ago, I visited an old friend who promised me a homemade lunch. Not many of my friends cook; at least they don’t often want to cook for me. I’m not picky, but people can find the idea of serving me a meal intimidating. Usually, I’m the one in the kitchen.

This friend has grown to appreciate quality ingredients and food made with care. He’s actually the picky one now. We sat at his kitchen island with some ratatouille and he set out what seemed to be just a large plate of arugula for us to share. I kept quiet but felt a little skeptical. He asked if I liked arugula, wondering aloud if his recent affinity toward its bitterness was signaling anything. Then he asked if I minded a tahini drizzle instead of dressing. He tossed on some blueberries, pistachios, and a couple of other thoughts as he considered his work.

While the rest of the dishes were good, something in that salad got a hold of my brain. There’s something to be said for serving a salad spread out wide on a plate — every bite gets just the right touch. The flavors were simple: bitter, a bit sweet, a trace salty and pleasantly crunchy. I bought blueberries the very next day. Since then, I’ve been eating this salad about five times a week, sometimes twice a day. Truthfully, I haven’t eaten this many raw vegetables in years. With barely any prep at all and zero chopping, this is more likely to make it onto my menu than most vegetables. Just choose high-quality ingredients: crisp pistachios, rich olive oil, vibrant arugula. Don’t use a mushy blueberry or plain table salt, or you’ll think I’m leading you astray.

Blueberry and Arugula Salad

Ingredients:
• 3 cups baby arugula
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted pistachios
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Take the ingredients straight from the fridge so they’re cold. Spread the arugula evenly on a large plate. Scatter the blueberries and pistachios on top. Drizzle with tahini and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Eat immediately.

I recommend chopsticks.

(serves 1-2)

Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.