The Tribeca Salad

When we visited NYC, we took a day to explore the city just the four of us. It was thrilling to ride the train into Grand Central, to navigate the subway system (without getting lost!), and to walk the streets just me and my boys.

We headed first to 34th Street to see the Empire State Building up close (Tiny Boy’s request) and to hit up a few shops around Macy’s. On a whim, we decided to head down to the WTC memorial. We didn’t think the boys were quite ready for the museum, but both Mr. Neon and I wanted to see the pools. It was a very humbling experience. The city is so loud, so busy, so full of constant motion. But at the WTC memorial, it’s quiet, peaceful, respectful.

The boys walked the perimeter, reading names, taking it all in. But then they got hungry. And you know what happens when 6 and 8 year old boys get hungry…they get cranky…FAST. It was Labor Day, so everything down in the financial district was closed. We decided to head back north on foot and see what we came across. Google Maps on my phone showed that a Whole Foods was just a couple of blocks away, and we needed a potty break in addition to food.

We walked into the Whole Foods, and Mr. Neon took a deep breath and declared it “home.” It smelled right. The Neon Runner family loves a good organic grocery store! The bathroom happened to be right next to the food court. It smelled good and our tummies were growling, so we decided to hunt and gather for something yummy. Mr. Neon and I each loaded up a salad box, and we found chicken strips and made a fruit salad for the boys. My salad was perfect…spinach, roast chicken, roasted corn, broccoli slaw, quinoa, and honey mustard dressing. Ever since we got back from New York, I have been craving that salad, but I haven’t wanted to take the time to make all the elements.

Last night I made it happen. We decided to call it the Tribeca Salad, since it was first eaten at the Tribeca Whole Foods. I just wish I had one of the vegan putter butter brownies that we bought for dessert.