How to make the perfect mason jar salad

Happy Friday!

This week I decided to try the whole mason jar salad trend. I wanted to pack more veggies into my diet and salads for lunch (I usually eat leftover dinner or tuna fish) seemed like my best bet.

I’m not sure why I have a plethora of mason jars in our tiny apartment but I put em to good use this week!

Salad Creations:

(add ingredients into mason jar from left to right)

1. Shrimp, Quinoa & Arugula Salad: vegan dijon dressing (dijon, evoo, water, pepper & agave) , quinoa, cucumber, shrimp, avocado, arugula

2. Fruit & Goat Cheese Salad: vegan poppyseed dressing (dijon, agave, poppy seeds, lime, water, salt, pepper ), quinoa, strawberries, blueberries, goat cheese, spinach *candied nuts on the side*

3. Asian Salad: vegan asian dressing (lemon, evoo, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt, water, stevia ), shredded carrots, edamame, sprouts, red pepper, chicken, sesame seeds, mixed greens

4. Greek Salad: vegan greek dressing (evoo, garlic powder, onion powder, dijon, red wine vinegar, basil, salt, pepper), whole wheat pasta, cucumber, tomato, olives, chickpeas, feta, romaine

5. Caprese Salad: vegan balsamic dressing (balsamic vinegar, evoo, salt, pepper ), whole wheat pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, basil

6. Taco Salad: spicy creamy dressing (greek yogurt, spicy salsa), black beans, corn, tomatoes avocado, romaine, mexican cheese *crushed tortilla chips on the side*

Really, the possibilities are endless but here are some tips to follow.

•  Keep the dressing on the bottom to make sure none of your ingredients get soggy.
• Put your hard vegetables (or grains) in second to marinate in the dressing
• Pack your ingredients in tightly – It leaves less room for condensation!
• Bring a bowl or a plate (if your work doesn’t provide them) so you can dump out your salad and toss the dressing into it
• Make ahead on Sunday for the entire week – It will stay fresh til Friday – I promise!
• If you’re adding nuts, chips or croutons bring them in a separate baggy. There is a high chance they will get soggy.

 

Follow this rule of thumb to make your own creations!

Questions: Have you tested out the mason jar salad trend? If so, what was your favorite creation?