I’m dying to know what meal was on Corey Booker’s mind when he hit hour 25 on the senate floor earlier this week. No bathroom breaks, no snacks, and only small sips of water—I’d be contemplating my menu for the next month. Then again, this is why Senator Booker is an elected official and I am not. My mind easily transitions from “the world is ending” to “ooh a smoothie!” back to “everything is on fire.” I think most of us do this. I also think an adult diagnosis of ADHD means finding my focus requires a small army of notebooks and pens, without which my mind would ping pong back and forth all day without accomplishing a single task.

And yet, I would not forget to eat. I may fixate for a while but I’d still end up with something fairly well-balanced on a plate in front of me. That has never been an issue.

Senator Booker’s record-breaking speech (whether or not it counts as a filibuster seems to be up for debate) has sparked a variety of online conversation, but the one I would like to present to the room is: What could you talk about for 25 hours? And please, for the love of all things holy, we are not being serious and asking you to choose a topic that will shift policy or political leaders. Senator Booker has that covered! I’m asking about your favorite long yap session topic. Mine is currently what makes a perfect sandwich.

Here’s what I made this week: springy artichoke sandwiches, tuna salad, creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach orzo, and lemon thyme cod w/ broccoli and roast potatoes.

Springy Artichoke Sandwiches

Once the weather nears 60, I need artichokes immediately. Sandwiches are also a must once the weather announces spring’s arrival. Poppy’s, a darling spot in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, combines these two warm weather loves of mine in one of their cafe sandwiches. While my creation doesn’t follow theirs perfectly, I’d like to think the team at Poppy’s would be ok with the liberties I’ve taken.

For my springy artichoke sammie I began with ciabatta, from Trader Joe’s because I was out of yeast and couldn’t be bothered to make the focaccia I’d planned. If I were to make focaccia, I’d use Bon Appétit’s no-knead focaccia recipe. I toasted both sides of the ciabatta with olive oil, and once it was crisped up to my liking I rubbed each side with a clove of garlic.

There are two aspects of prep we must do while the bread is toasting. First, take about half a can of artichoke hearts and place the hearts (Is this really the right phrase? I’m watching Once Upon a Time right now and it’s reading a bit too Evil Queen.) on a cutting board with as many sun-dried tomatoes as you’d like. Chop up this combination with a little flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper. The only additional layer of prep you need is taking one massive handful of arugula and tossing it with some balsamic glaze. You don’t want your greens dripping in glaze, just well-dressed.

Now to build our sandwich. The layers are as follows: pesto, artichoke and tomato mixture, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, balsamic glazed arugula. It’s perfect.

Nostalgia Tuna Salad

I could also spend a lot of time—at least 10 hours—chatting about what meals launch people into different moments in their life. As in, what breakfast food ignites your inner middle schooler as soon as the aroma hits? These are the kinds of questions I ask new coworkers, on first dates, and anytime a group has a lull in conversation. Honestly, I make a lot of friends this way.

One of my favorite nostalgia meals is tuna salad, which the Moe family referred to as “tuna and apples.” That’s because that’s exactly what it was: a can of tuna with a diced apple (Fuji was our household’s preference), and a little mayo, salt, and pepper for mixing. You could eat this concoction with a fork or a sleeve of Ritz crackers.

Adult Lil’s version of tuna and apples keeps the traditional base but subs in a honeycrisp apple (because I’m now a New York elitist snob), and adds in garlic powder, onion powder, and a hefty serving of chopped bread and butter pickles. I’ve also swapped out the Ritz (sorry, Dad) for pretzel crisps. I could eat this every day, and find that it pairs perfectly with a crisp West Coast IPA like the All or Nothing from Threes Brewing.

If you’re looking for another group ice breaker, ask people what their favorite apple variety is. They should have an answer. (If they don’t, run away as fast as you can!)

Creamy Sun-dried tomato and spinach Orzo

My meal prep client was in the mood for greens, but in a non-salad way. While we love spinach in this home, we also understand that sometimes it needs to be tucked in behind some cream. And pasta. Because guess what? A green is still a green if it has a carb and a dairy surrounding it!

I was surprised by how quickly this dish came together. I just placed my orzo in a sauce pan with chicken broth, heavy cream, half a can of sun-dried tomatoes, and a whole bag of spinach. Then I let this simmer until the orzo was fully cooked through and the spinach had wilted. While I did not measure my liquids, for one cup of pasta I used about half a cup of heavy cream and one cup of chicken broth. I topped the orzo with freshly cracked black pepper and served it with roast chicken I’d made earlier in the week.

Accessible, non-shaming nutrition is also something I could talk about for an extended period of time. You’re shocked, I know.

Lemon Thyme Cod w/ Broccoli and Roast Potatoes

I was dying for something lemony and light as the week drew to a close. And while I lean pretty heavily on seafood, my fresh fish recipe index usually rests comfortably on salmon. But great news, Trader Joe’s sells cod fillets and it makes cooking up an extravagant lunch easy breezy cover girl.

I kept my cod cooking method simple here: I poached the piece of fish in dry white wine we had leftover from a dinner party, with a few sprigs of thyme, slices of lemon, and a clove of grated garlic. Fresh cracked black pepper and flaky salt, obviously. It took maybe 8 minutes for the fish to be done (internal temp of 145, via my handy dandy meat thermometer). I served it with roasted gold potatoes and baby broccoli, both generously seasoned with salt and pepper. I topped the broccoli with freshly grated parmesan, but that wouldn’t have photographed as well.

Now that I’ve yapped your ear off about my silly little menu this week, I feel it is my civic duty to remind you how loved and valued your presence in the world is. Whether you’re talking matters of legislature, the heart, the kitchen, or anything in between, there are people who can’t wait to listen. What a gift!