So you have a big appetite and want to chow down.  Have you considered a salad?  Salads can fill that craving to stuff your gullet without packing on the extra padding.  Go big, toss something family size and settle in for seconds.  You won’t hate yourself in the morning if you follow these guidelines:

1. Don’t overdo the dressing. Make your own and make it light.
2. Use a variety of strong flavor elements so you won’t miss the dressing. Try olives, cured meats, pungent cheese but sprinkle them sparsely.  A little goes a long way.
3. Put a few fillers in there. Croutons, beans, nuts…but again in moderation.  That mixed with the strong flavors are sure to satisfy.

The following salad applies these principles perfectly.

2 full chicken wings

2T olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

1T red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, grated

¼ t each dried oregano and red pepper flakes

½ a package of cherry tomatoes

1 can of quartered artichoke hearts packed in water

8 olives, sliced off their pits

1/4C chopped parsley

2T chopped basil

2 scallions

1T capers

4 slices of French or Italian bread

Pecorino cheese, shaved

Two slices of prosciutto, shredded

One bunch of spinach

One bunch of arugula

Shake oil, lemon, vinegar, garlic and herbs together in a jar. Toss chicken wings with 2t of dressing and broil for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, artichokes, olives, parsley, basil, scallions, and capers with all but 1T of the dressing.  Brush the bread with the remainder of the dressing and broil until toasted.  Let cool and add to the salad.  Top with spinach and arugula and toss. Place on serving plates and top with chicken meat shredded off the wings, prosciutto and shaved pecorino.

Cooking time: approximately 25 minutes

Serves 2-4