Two Days of Lunch

I'm trying very hard to continue to make some hearty meals for lunch during the week on Sunday or early in the week. I've been craving a good salad, so tonight I made my own variation on Giada DiLaurentis' Garbanzo Bean and Zucchini salad. I kept the garbanzo beans, otherwise known as chickpeas, since they are so hearty and full of protein - exactly what one needs on a busy work day. The recipe called for raw zucchini chopped into bite size pieces, but I am not a huge fan of it raw, so I decided instead to grill some thick slices of zucchini and red bell pepper with just some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I cut them up into pieces and tossed it with the garbanzo beans, defrosted frozen corn, and chopped red onion. Giada then adds chunks of Parmesan cheese to the salad, which I absolutely love, but good parm is expensive and I already had some feta crumbles in the fridge. With the Mediterranean flavors already going on in the salad, I figured the feta would work just fine. I also didn't have lemons for the dressing, so I made a very fast balsamic vinaigrette and tossed everything together. I left out the lettuce completely as there just didn't seem to be a need for the fluff of it. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of lettuce as a whole. I split my salad into two plastic containers, and with a yogurt or an apple, my lunch will be great. It tasted pretty good right after being made, but I anticipate it will be even better tomorrow after marinading in the dressing. By leaving out the lettuce I could mix it all up, as the vegetables in the salad now can easily stand up to a night in dressing and shouldn't be soggy tomorrow (or so I hope).