Using a food processor and cleaning its parts afterward is often more work than it's worth for quick, convenience meals. I found, though, that my everyday easy dishes multiplied when I switched to an inexpensive plastic and blade food slicer that's also simple to clean and usually available for sale from multiple brands for close to $10.

After being served a restaurant salad topped with multiple julienned vegetables and realizing it upped the flavor and crunch appeal, I sought out a slicer to emulate it without having to pull out and clean my food processor or do the chop work by hand. Carefully sliding a chunk of vegetable under a provided food gripper/hand protector through the blades does the trick.

I routinely prepare a bowl of julienned vegetables with lunch and then use it throughout the day for healthy meals and snacks. Here's an example of how much variety can come from one mixture, thereby saving time all day. All ingredients are to taste. I start with julienned cucumbers, carrots, celery and red onion.

TOSS A TERRIFIC MEAL

Toss the julienned vegetable mixture with torn romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, grated Parmesan cheese, cooked peeled shrimp and a dressing that's made by whisking orange marmalade with light soy sauce and curry powder.

STIR-FRY WILL EQUAL SMILES

Heat a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil and cashews in a wok or skillet. Carefully add the julienned vegetable mixture, which has been seasoned with freshly ground black pepper and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Cook until vegetables are hot and nuts have turned light brown.

WRAP UP SOME PRAISE

Warm flavored flour tortillas, such as red bell pepper or spinach, and spread with a small amount of store-bought pesto. Toss the julienned vegetables with strips of fat-free or vegan-style cheese, Italian seasoning blend, chopped, pitted black olives, diced cooked skinless chicken breast and roll up before serving.

BOWLED OVER BY SNACK BOWL

Toss the julienned vegetables with fresh seedless red grapes, honey-roasted nut mixture, sweetened shredded coconut and poppy seeds.

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

Daphne Oz, co-host of TV's "The Chew," knows that sometimes just a simple touch is all it takes to hit a homerun with an everyday meal. That's why she adds truffle salt to her roast chicken, coconut and mango to her pancakes and makes her quesadillas taste like Philly cheesesteaks in "The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes for Eating Every Day Like It's the Weekend." The key is that every one of the handful of ingredients in each easy recipe is irreplaceable and balances expertly with the others.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.