Suppose you want a salad for one or two, you have a few cans or jars of this and that, and you have 5 minutes to throw it all together. The following four salads will do ya just fine. Not only do they taste good, but they look good, too. Most don't require a recipe. You just need to know what to add to some leftover potatoes, pasta, or a can of beans.

• Avocado salad: Line a plate with leftover lettuce leaves; a few avocado slices; capers; many radishes; cherry tomatoes; 4 or 5 canned, sliced, and drained beets; several baby corn or bamboo shoots; and carrot slices. Sprinkle on balsamic or cider vinegar. Add salt (if desired) and coarsely ground black pepper.
• Bean salad: To a drained can of any type of bean (such as kidney, pinto, field pea, navy, or cannelloni), add 2 to 3 tablespoons diced onion; 5 bay carrots, sliced; 1 red or green pepper, sliced; 1/2 stalk celery, chopped; 1 teaspoon olive oil; about 3 tablespoons vinegar; a pinch of sugar; and a sprinkle of garlic salt or garlic pepper (or 1 minced clove). Toss and serve.
• Pasta or potato salad: To 1 cup of cooked pasta or diced cooked potatoes, add any combination of drained canned or fresh green beans (about 10 if fresh), sliced; 2 chopped scallions or 6 chives; 1 stalk celery, chopped; 1/4 cup diced canned or bottled roasted red peppers or pimentos; 4 or 5 sliced olives (green or ripe); 3 or 4 cherry tomatoes; and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. Top with a dressing of several tablespoons of cider vinegar mixed with a clove of minced garlic, fat-free or lowfat sour cream or mayonnaise, and coarsely ground black pepper.
• Tomato mozzarella salad: To 1 sliced, very ripe tomato, add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped lowfat mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons cider vinegar. Add a healthy sprinkle of dried oregano and coarsely ground black pepper.