I try to target rich, dark green leafy greens for my meals. The richer the color, the more vitamins the plant possesses. Even when I go to a chain restaurant like Subway, I always order spinach instead of the iceberg lettuce. Arugula and spinach are my two staple greens - they provide different textures and tastes so even if you make two salads on back-to-back meals, it still feels like you're eating two distinct plates of food.
Arugula has a nice, bitter, almost peppery taste to it, and holds up well to heat, making it perfect for warm salads that contain heavy ingredients like mushrooms or onions. Spinach salads are better served at room temp since the leaf wilts almost instantly even on medium low heat.
Mushrooms are a hearty ingredient and I try to put at least 3 ounces in almost every dish. They hold up well in heat and absorb flavoring rather well, like little sponges. But sauteed in grapeseed oil (higher in good fat and lower in bad fat than in extra virgin olive oil. See Glossary.) and their true flavors come out, yet not in an overwhelming manner. For the men, they are a key source of selenium which helps to protect against prostate cancer, as they provide 15% of your Daily Value of Selenium in just 3 ounces.
Shallots and Garlic are great additions for warmer dishes as the hot oils extract a lot of flavor from these vegetables. An ounce of shallots provides 10% of your DV of Vitamin A and garlic has a slew of antioxidants contained within its cell walls. They can provide doses of extra nutrients to any meals with under one minute of extra prep time per meal, providing restaurant-quality meals at local market prices.
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