Salad in A Jar
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NuggetLovesEdie
Posts: 477 Member
in Recipes
I recently had a couple of follow on message from a status update regarding "Salad in a Jar". One of the person who sent me messages suggested I put this out to the message boards.
I'm always looking for new and fun ideas to try since I'm having such a high success rate with my personal Salad in a Jar experience (also got high praise from the nutritionist at my doctor's office recently). So if you have other ideas, please add on!
Here's the info I was messaging:
Thanks for your question about salad in a jar. I don't have specific recipes, though I can tell you the principles I follow and give you some ideas on what I've had that's been tasty.
I got my inspiration from a couple of websites:
1) http://www.thekitchn.com/salad-in-a-jar-make-a-week-of-lunches-173014
2)http://heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/2012/06/01/how-to-make-salad-in-a-jar/
Right now, I'm eating a concoction that has (in order that I put them in the jar): 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 c garbanzo beans, 1/2 c quinoa, 1/4 c shredded carrots and about 2 c lettuce.
Last week I had 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 of a fresh pear chopped, 1/4 cup feta cheese, 1/4 c pepitas, and a mix of 2 c lettuce and spinach. The greens are approximate.
In the recent past I've made chicken caesar salad in a jar: 2 tbsp caesar dressing, about 1 tbsp shredded parmesan or romano cheese, croutons (they got a little soggy from absorbing the dressing by the end of the week), chopped lettuce... and on the morning of I would add about 1/2 c diced sauteed chicken breast that I cooked and froze on Sunday... added the chicken directly from the freezer to the jar. If I didn't put the jar in the fridge at work, the chicken was still cold but not frozen at lunch time.
I like this one a lot too: 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, 1/2 apple chopped, 1-2 tbsp craisins, 1/4 c wild rice, and approx 2 c spinach
Something more on par with what I'm eating this week is 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 c quinoa, 1/4 c shredded carrots, 1/4 c shredded beets and about 2 c lettuce.
You can really mix and match based on what you have on hand and what you're hungry for.
The general idea is to put the dressing in the bottom of the jar, then add things that will keep it from touching the lettuce/spinach. The separation of the dressing from greens is what keeps the greens fresh.
The jars I use are wide mouth 1 quart size. I also find it helps to use a jar funnel to get the grains and greens in there, though I do admit to "shoving" the greens through the jar funnel. I'm sure I could be more gentle if I were worried about bruising the greens.
I hope that helps.
ETA: Oh, I should add that the longest I've had a Salad in a Jar in the fridge was 8 days (it was the one with pears), and it was still good... no sogginess or wilting of greens, though the pears and pepitas soaked all the dressing up.
I'm always looking for new and fun ideas to try since I'm having such a high success rate with my personal Salad in a Jar experience (also got high praise from the nutritionist at my doctor's office recently). So if you have other ideas, please add on!
Here's the info I was messaging:
Thanks for your question about salad in a jar. I don't have specific recipes, though I can tell you the principles I follow and give you some ideas on what I've had that's been tasty.
I got my inspiration from a couple of websites:
1) http://www.thekitchn.com/salad-in-a-jar-make-a-week-of-lunches-173014
2)http://heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/2012/06/01/how-to-make-salad-in-a-jar/
Right now, I'm eating a concoction that has (in order that I put them in the jar): 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 c garbanzo beans, 1/2 c quinoa, 1/4 c shredded carrots and about 2 c lettuce.
Last week I had 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 of a fresh pear chopped, 1/4 cup feta cheese, 1/4 c pepitas, and a mix of 2 c lettuce and spinach. The greens are approximate.
In the recent past I've made chicken caesar salad in a jar: 2 tbsp caesar dressing, about 1 tbsp shredded parmesan or romano cheese, croutons (they got a little soggy from absorbing the dressing by the end of the week), chopped lettuce... and on the morning of I would add about 1/2 c diced sauteed chicken breast that I cooked and froze on Sunday... added the chicken directly from the freezer to the jar. If I didn't put the jar in the fridge at work, the chicken was still cold but not frozen at lunch time.
I like this one a lot too: 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, 1/2 apple chopped, 1-2 tbsp craisins, 1/4 c wild rice, and approx 2 c spinach
Something more on par with what I'm eating this week is 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 c quinoa, 1/4 c shredded carrots, 1/4 c shredded beets and about 2 c lettuce.
You can really mix and match based on what you have on hand and what you're hungry for.
The general idea is to put the dressing in the bottom of the jar, then add things that will keep it from touching the lettuce/spinach. The separation of the dressing from greens is what keeps the greens fresh.
The jars I use are wide mouth 1 quart size. I also find it helps to use a jar funnel to get the grains and greens in there, though I do admit to "shoving" the greens through the jar funnel. I'm sure I could be more gentle if I were worried about bruising the greens.
I hope that helps.
ETA: Oh, I should add that the longest I've had a Salad in a Jar in the fridge was 8 days (it was the one with pears), and it was still good... no sogginess or wilting of greens, though the pears and pepitas soaked all the dressing up.
5
Replies
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I will try this tomorrow. Thanks!!!1
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This reminds me of the salads in a cup that they had at McDonald's. Those things were pretty tasty! I never could quite remember the name, so I just resorted to ordering a "Salad McHooHah" and they always knew what I meant. :-D1
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Thank you sharing this.1
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Gonna have to try this!!1
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these are great! thank you for sharing!!1
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bump --- I am gonna have to try this1
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Bump1
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Thanks.
I just bought my jars. I could not find wide mouth, but I think I will be OK with regular quart jars.1 -
bump1
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This week's salad in a jar is AMAZING!!!
From bottom of the jar, to top:
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp white toasted sesame seeds
1/4 c grated carrots
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 c mung beans
3/4-ish cup millet
top the rest off with salad greens
381 cal, 44 g carbs, 18 g fat, 13 g protein!!!, 9 g fiber, 42 mg sodium
ETA: Eep. I just noticed my horrible grammar in the original post. Sorry!2 -
bump.1
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Love this!0
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bump0
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Sounds terrific and so easy. I am going to make up a batch and leave them in the fridge, maybe it will encourage the family to grab and eat somethng easy instead of something less healthy.0
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Love this!!! Will definitely have to try :0)0
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Bump, gotta try this :-)0
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bump0
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This looks amazing!!! I am going to try it for sure!!!0
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bump - thanks!0
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My GOSH!!! I was ABSOLUTELY GIDDY at lunch today! This week's salad is SO GOOD!
In order from the bottom of the jar to the top:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/5th of two cooked and chopped chicken breasts
30 tamari almonds
1/5th of a fresh mango
3/4 cup quinoa
1/5th of a head of green leaf lettuce
420 cal, 28g carb, 22 g fat, 29 g protein, 4 g fiber, 110 mg sodium0
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