since both kids like them.

Daughter ate eggs, a little potato, and some green beans. Son ate a bit of everything (he's been getting really into seafood lately, and he loved the olives.) Parents mixed it all together with the zingy vinaigrette. Cool, refreshing, balanced, easy, especially if you prepare the eggs in advance.

Note: This dinner happened before this week's tomato scare. It's easy to leave them out, or substitute your own home-grown variety.

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Serves 4

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces (4 to 5) new potatoes

8 ounces green beans, trimmed

2 skinless salmon fillets (about 8 ounces each)

2 heads Boston lettuce (I substituted romaine)

4 plum tomatoes

3 large eggs, hard-cooked

1 medium red onion

1 /4 cup kalamata or black olives

Dijon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

In a 5-quart pot, bring 1/2 inch water to a boil; add salt and the potatoes. Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, 14 to 16 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Add the green beans to the pot of boiling water. cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Rinse under cool water, and set aside.

Fill a deep skillet with 1/4 inch water. Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper; place in the skillet. Bring the water to a gentle simmer; cover and cook until the salmon is opaque throguhout, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate; flake with a fork and let cool.

While the salmon is cooking, tear lettuce into pieces, quarter potatoes and tomatoes, peel and quarter the eggs and thinly slice the onion. Arrange everything on a large platter. Serve with vinaigrette.

--From "Great Food Fast," from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living

Per serving (includes dressing): 455 calories, 34 grams protein, 27 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 231 milligrams cholesterol, 706 milligrams sodium.

Dijon Vinaigrette

Makes about 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

In a medium bowl, whisk the juice, mustard, salt and a pinch of pepper until combined. Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream; whisk until thickened and creamy. Or shake all ingredients in a small jar.