Our world today is all about convenience. Grab and Go is what so many of us do especially for lunch. When I don’t plan ahead I find myself eating unhealthy. I might grab a little something here and a lot of something there and next thing I know I have binged on popcorn because I’m so hungry. I have found an easy, make ahead way of solving that problem: salads in a jar. That is right. Grab those mason jars you have at home, fill them with tasty salad fixings, pour in a homemade dressing, give it a shake and you are ready to go! Salad in a jar, you will never leave home without it.
Here are a couple of my favorite ones but the key is being creative and you can add whatever is your food mood of the day !! Feel free to think exotic! Indian, Asian, Southwestern.
Flirt with Flavors!
Here’s your chance to experiment and play.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup gluten free pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomato, sliced
- 8 mini mozzerella balls, halved
- 1 cup arugula
- ½ cup mixed olives, halved
- 1 cup Tuscan kale, chopped
Pesto Dressing
- ½ cup walnuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 cups basil
- ½ cup parsley
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast or Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon juice
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Pesto
- Combine basil, parsley, nutritional yeast or Parmesan, garlic, walnuts, EVOO, and lemon juice in a large food processor bowl.
- Blend to a smooth paste
- Season to taste
Salad
- In a medium sized jar, layer all the salad condiments starting with 3 tbsp of pesto, 1/2 cup gluten free pasta, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, 4 mini mozzerella balls, 1/2 cup arugula, 1/4 cup mixed olives, and finish with 1/2 cup Tuscan kale.
- Enjoy!!
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head Bibb lettuce, chopped
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup roasted chicken, cubed
- 1/2½ cup Roquefort, crumbled
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
- 1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2 tablespoons honey mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Salad
- In a medium sized jar, layer all the salad ingredients starting with 1 cup of chopped lettuce, 10 slices of radishes, 1/2 cup roasted chicken, 1/4 cup roquefort, 1 hard boiled egg, and finish with 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds.
Dressing
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk honey mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper and add EVOO. Shake to combine.
- Taste for seasoning
- Fill a small jar with 3 tablespoons of dressing