How to Make Pizza Salad (aka Panzanella)

So this recipe is a little different from what I usually share. This one is more about inspiration and sparking joy and experiencing life. So indulge me in a little backstory. 

TLDR: I made panzanella using leftover pizza from A16 and some impromptu ingredients I picked up at the farmer’s market and was thrilled with myself. I’m calling it “pizza salad”. It made me really happy. 

Usually my Saturdays are jam packed. I wake up early, do a bunch of work and planning for the week, go for my long run and race back home with just enough time to cram some food in my face and get cleaned up before going to my weekly recovery meeting. I’m usually super rushed when I pass by the weekly farmer’s market at the Ferry Building and for years I’ve been saying “one Saturday I’ll stop.” And I finally did. A few weeks ago I canceled all plans for Saturday and wandered in the market for the first time ever. I had no idea what I was going to get, but I knew I wanted to find something new and interesting to take home and make for my lunch. 

The first stall I saw had some lovely looking balsamic. Then I found some cherry heirloom tomatoes. Then Persian cucumbers and BANG. I knew I’d find some fresh basil somewhere (and I did) and thought, PANZANELLA! As I was looking for bread I remembered Peter and I had accidentally bought too much pizza (it’s true!) at A16 and after returning home from our fart walk I had tossed it in the fridge thinking I’d surely forget about it and end up throwing it away. Can you use pizza for salad? Oh hell yes you can!

Yes, I think I’m quite clever “inventing” pizza salad. But this story is more about making room for the things you yearn for in life. I seriously yearned for a long time for the luxury of time to mosey around a Farmer’s Market and buy what looked good and to go home and prepare something yummy for myself. But I tend to overbook my week (with great things) which doesn’t allow much for spontaneity and new things. So I really enjoyed the freedom of changing my plans and doing something that really brought value to me. 

So I guess this post is about allowing yourself freedom in your life sometimes to mosey around and do what feels great in the moment versus always sticking to a regimented schedule. And also NEVER throw away pizza.