April 9, 2017
If you haven’t already noticed, I love mason jars.
I have about 30 in my cupboard and use them to store everything from homemade kombucha to juice, soup (see my previous blogs “The Joy of Juicing” and “Warm Your Belly with Vegan Potato Leek Soup”) and, of course, salads!
Salad in a jar is the fastest, easiest way to package all your lunch-time nutrition together into one delightful looking, easy-to-clean, plastic-free container. When you start, there’s no going back. Prep for the whole week, or daily as you go — it’s up to you, but regardless of how you approach it, this mason jar trick will make you fall in love with eating salad every day, even in the dead of winter, because there’s nothing like having a fresh homemade salad slide neatly onto your plate without any hassle or mess when you’re in the middle of an extremely busy day with no time to source out a healthy meal.
You know those days. You had your vegan protein powder smoothie to kick off your morning and, if you were feeling particularly hungry, possibly a filling bowl of oatmeal or quinoa topped with organic yoghurt and your favourite nuts and fruit, then you sailed through your morning with only one cup of coffee. But you were feeling pressed for time when you left the house and didn’t pack a lunch, so now it’s after 1 p.m. and you’re starving, and any local take-out options fall far below the clean eating standards you set with your morning meal. This is where salad in a jar steps in to save the day and keep you on track.
Though salads in a jar, also known as mason jar salads, have been trending for a few years now, it never ceases to amaze me how many friends and co-workers still haven’t come across the concept, and react in surprise whenever they see one of my jar salads for the first time. Comments like: “What a great idea!”; “That looks so healthy!” and “I bet that’s delicious!” are pretty standard. So if you’re already in the know but haven’t made a habit of it yet, or if you’re new to the idea but don’t really know where to start, here are some tips and tricks to get you started:
Salad in a jar tips:
Step 1
Buy a flat of mason jars if you don’t already have some. I prefer the 16 oz jars since they’re a great size for individual servings of salad, soup, etc.
Step 2
Make your own dressing. Simply add the ingredients to the jar and mix. This is the first layer you’re going to add to the jar. After much experimentation, measuring and calorie counting, I’ve settled on one tried and true recipe that satisfies my taste buds each time. A simple vinaigrette of organic extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. For a little extra zing and thicker consistency, I’ll add Dijon mustard if I have it on hand, or ground mustard. And my ratio of oil to vinegar is 1:1 — one tablespoon of each provides just enough dressing to coat all the contents of the 16 oz mason jar.
I realize this goes contrary to the standard recipe of one part vinegar to three parts oil, but that’s just too many calories for my liking since I like my entire salad to get doused with dressing. One tbsp of olive oil equals 120 calories, whereas apple cider vinegar is just 3 per tbsp! And if you love the taste of ACV like I do and all the health benefits it delivers (like lowering blood sugar, improving digestion, and aiding weight loss) then this is a great way to include more of it in your diet. A touch of honey can soften the taste too.
Step 3
Now chose your “wet” ingredients. Basically, anything that can marinate in the dressing at the bottom of the jar without getting unpleasantly soggy. If you’re making several jars at once to eat over several days, then choose these ingredients wisely. Think Greek salad, which can last a long time in the fridge. My usual picks are tomatoes, grated carrots, red onions, avocado and cucumbers. Tomatoes always go in first followed by the rest.
Step 4
Add your protein, whether it’s chick peas, grilled chicken, lentils or quinoa. If you opt for chick peas or lentils, you made want to add them with the tomatoes so that they soak up the dressing, making them even more delicious. Feta cheese or parmesan should also be added at this step.
Step 5
“Dry” ingredients go next. For me that’s zucchini, mushrooms and Bell peppers. Other options include Alfafa sprouts, bean sprouts nuts, and maybe a touch of fruit like blueberries or even mango. Even rice noodles. Anything you want kept away from the dressing while the jar is being stored in the fridge.
Step 6
Last but not least, pack your greens. Spring mixes, spinach, iceberg or Romaine — anything goes. It’s entirely up to you. If you’re prepping jars for several days at at time, then you might want to opt for the hardier lettuce. But if you’re just prepping for the day ahead, then go for spinach or a blend. Feel free to stuff as much as you can into the jar while still being able to screw down the lid. You’ll be surprised at how large a salad can get crammed into the jar.
Step 7
Store in fridge. When you’re ready to eat, simply unscrew the lid and hold the mason jar upside down over a plate. If you tightly packed your greens, you might need to help the exodus along with the prodding of a fork, but the entire salad should easily slip out of the jar onto the plate in the perfect order of a freshly made salad: a bed of greens supporting fresh veggies with maybe some fruit and/or nuts, followed by a serving of protein then a nice mixture of marinated veggies with the dressing on top — yum!
Final notes
Some days you may only have the bare minimum in your fridge with which to make this fast, fresh food; other days you might want a salad with more of an exotic flourish. As long as you have the fixings for a dressing, and a few options to keep the dressing separate from the greens until it’s ready to be served, then any number of ingredients in any combination will do.
Once you do this a few times, you’ll be whipping together Mason jar salads in no time. I have it down to an art, and sometimes will spend as little as 5 minutes prepping lunch, which is so worth the effort later in the day when you’re the envy of everyone around you.
