Salads In A Jar

 

Recently I was working with a client on meal prep with time-saving tips on planning for a busy work week.  One of my favorite time-saving tips is salads in a jar.  You can prepare a week’s worth of lunches in these fabulous mason jars.  Layering is essential when making your salads in a jar. Here is step by step instructions for a perfect salad.   

•  Start with a Ball Mason Wide Mouth Quart Jars this is the perfect size for a hearty lunch salad.
• Layering is essential. Always keep in mind the wet ingredients go on the bottom first and end with the most fragile ingredients last.
• Dressing goes in first along with any soft, wet, delicate ingredients like; berries, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, cucumbers.
• Start layering veggies that are heartier like carrots, nuts, cheese, chickpeas, beans.
• Lettuce choice and meat will be added last before screwing on the cap.

You might be asking how does this work? Or how will the lettuce not get soggy? How long will these last? In the layering. That’s why it is important to add wet ingredients first and end with lettuce of choice. Once your salads are arranged and sealed tightly, they should last for five days.  Perfect for a work week. Note: to keep your lettuce the freshest add protein of choice day prior or each day you grab you to go salad; you can add a few days ahead but for the freshest day of is best.

 

Here are some of my favorite lunchtime salad combos:

Chopped Salad: Balsamic dressing, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, red onion, avocado, parmesan cheese, romaine lettuce, chicken.

Spicy Oriental: dressing 2 tsp olive oil, juice of one lime, 1 tsp chopped cilantro, 2 tsp tamari, salt/pepper to taste. Mandarins, green onions, green cabbage, red cabbage, romaine, chicken 

Steak Salad: Balsamic, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper stir, tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumbers, radishes, corn(if corn is part of your diet), red onion, mixed baby greens, steak.

Bacon/Lettuce/Tomato Salad: Dressing(1 avocado, 1/2 cup coconut milk, salt/pepper to taste, 2 cloves garlic, green onions, parsley Blend in a high-speed blender) dressing, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, bacon.  

Spinach Pomegranate: balsamic dressing, pomegranate seeds, boysenberries, spinach, walnuts, a meat of choice.

Roasted Beet Salad: Beets(roasted are the best 350-degree oven, cut top stem and place in a glass dish. drizzle oil. salt/pepper and bake for 40 mins, let cool peel skin and slice) dressing, beets, green onion, goat cheese, walnuts, mixed greens.

Rainbow Salad: a dressing of choice, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, garbanzo beans, radishes, red onion, cranberries, red peppers, jicama, mixed greens great with any protein. 

Taco Salad: Salsa, Tomatoes, onion, avocado, black beans, corn, cheese, cilantro, mixed greens.

Spinach Sweet Potato Salad: Balsamic dressing, cubed cooked sweet potato, cranberries, almonds, green onions, feta, spinach.

Brussel Sprouts: Dressing olive oil, 1/2 lemon squeezed, honey, a splash of balsamic, salt/pepper, dijon for a little spice. Chopped dates, almonds, roughly chopped parmesan, shredded Brussel sprouts.

 

In Health & Wellness!