Mason Jar Salads!
on December 3rd, 2014
43 Flares 43 Flares Do you need a crisp and healthy lunch idea? This is a guest blog by Kaylie Chrismon. Mason Jar Salads! One of the worst things about is having a soggy salad. When your salad sits in salad dressing all morning, the spinach and lettuce become wilted and you may even throw it out and choose a not-as-healthy option. Putting your salad in a mason jar and layering the toppings appropriately can keep your salad crisp, fresh, and perfect at lunchtime. Mason jars are also convenient and reusable. How to build your mason jar salad from the bottom up: Bottom layer: your dressing – putting dressing in the bottom keeps it from making other ingredients, especially your greens, wilted – try the simple combination of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or add some cottage cheese, or choose your favorite healthy salad dressing Next layer: other wet ingredients that can make your salad wilted, like chopped tomatoes Next layer: drier ingredients that will not affect your greens, likecarrots, bell peppers, radish slices, cheese, olives, cucumbers, artichokes, hard boiled egg slices, celery. Next layer: completely dry ingredients like nuts, seeds, and croutons Top layer: greens – try spinach, mixed greens, or even baby kale! You can either eat these straight from the jar if you are taking them to school or work, or you can pour them onto a plate and eat them this way if you are at home. If you decide to eat them straight from the jar, just give them a good shake to get your salad dressing evenly distributed. Making salads in a mason jar also makes for easy meal prep! Once a week, sit out 4-5 mason jars and layer your ingredients so that you have salads you can grab in a hurry. Challenge: Since it’s fall, try to think of ingredients that are seasonally appropriate, like apples and butternut squash! Chop apples to put in your salad or roast butternut squash cubes to add sweetness. Dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds are other great additions for fall. About ourGuest Blogger. Kaylie Chrismon is a Nutrition Grad Student at UNC-Greensboro with the goal of becoming a registered dietitian. She loves to cook and 43 Flares Twitter 15 Facebook 22 LinkedIn 6 Pin It Share 0 Google+ 0 43 Flares
