By January 2026. Isaiah accepted to UNC Charlotte with a partial basketball scholarship. Derek wept. Openly. In the kitchen. At the table. The man who is always calm — the steady man, the project-management man, the man who cried once when Isaiah called me Mom T — wept at the kitchen table because his son, his angry beautiful wall-building door-opening greens-cooking son, is going to college on a scholarship and the weeping was pride and relief and the particular joy of a father who has watched his child transform and knows that the transformation was the child's work but the kitchen helped.
Isaiah hugged him. In the kitchen. Father and son, hugging, both crying, while I stood at the stove pretending to cook something that didn't need cooking because the moment was theirs and the moment was holy and the stove was where I stood while holy things happened at my table.
Isaiah’s story mentions his greens—the way he learned to cook them, the way the kitchen became part of who he became—and so greens felt right here, the way they always do when I need something to do with my hands while the room fills up with something bigger than food. I wasn’t really cooking that night; I was just standing at the stove, holding space the only way I knew how. This California Green Salad is what I reach for when I need to look busy and purposeful while the people I love fall apart and come back together at my table—it’s fresh and bright and ready fast, and it never asks to be the center of attention.
California Green Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas, thawed if frozen
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Build the salad base. In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine lettuce and baby spinach. Toss gently to mix the greens evenly.
- Add the vegetables. Arrange the sliced cucumber, green onions, and green peas over the greens. Lay the avocado slices across the top.
- Finish and dress. Scatter the toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley over the salad. Drizzle the dressing over everything just before serving and toss lightly to coat.
- Serve immediately. This salad is best served fresh, as the avocado and dressed greens soften quickly. If prepping ahead, keep the dressing and avocado separate until ready to serve.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 175 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 210mg