Years ago when I lived in Miami, working crazy hours, and single, making dinners was sometimes the art of throwing together whatever I had. Thus, enhancing my "something from nothing" style.
A favorite combination of mine was the Hot & Cold salad. I would make a green salad with red onions or scallions, cherry tomatoes. Then, I usually added two ingredients that made it more hearty and complete for dinner: beans, either cannelini or chick peas, and warm potatoes. The potatoes ranged from one large potato baked or boiled then cut into slices, or small new potatoes boiled and tossed with garlic and olive oil. I used to love how the warmth of the potato felt against the coolness of the lettuce.
A few Sundays back, with the cold winter's bite, I craved something warm but realized I should eat a salad. I found some leftover roasted veggies (carrots, onions, asparagus) which also had potatoes and it reminded me of that old familiar combo. So, I slid the veggies into a pan to warm up, made a big salad consisting of just Boston lettuce and feta cheese, then topped it with the warm vegetable mixture. A squeeze of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, and I felt like I got the best of both worlds on that snowy day... Healthy salad with just the right amount of warmth.
You can make this with any type of lettuce you desire or have in the fridge, and use any variety of leftover veggies you have. The idea is to create a hot & cold combo that you like. I think the key is using potatoes because it makes it a hearty meal. If you don't have leftovers, go ahead and sauté a few vegetables. Whatever combo you use, I think you'll enjoy Salad: Hot & Cold