Garden Veggie Mason Jar Salad with Homemade Dressing
a salad on demand for the busy family
Hey folks, Mr. Foodie here with another great, easy, and cost effective recipe.
Being raised on 4 different farms, 1 our family farm and 2 farms of my grandparents and 1 of great grandparents, I am very familiar with the use of mason jars to store food items. When I was a young lad, I helped my family operate several truck patches, that delivered bulk fresh produce to local IGA’s. so, it is easy for me to create recipes that I’m able to serve straight out of a jar. This is perfect for a busy family, who can serve a delicious, well prepared salad on demand. Almost all the vegetable and herb ingredients, I was able to use from my garden, making it a cost-effective meal. I like my salads crunchy, so I always keep salted shelled sunflower seeds handy, to dust the top at the time of serving
The beauty of Mason jar salads is they offer the perfect solution for a satisfying, nutritious lunch on the go or as a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
The key to success with Mason jar salads is the order you add your ingredients. Always add the dressing first, followed by harder vegetables that won’t break down from the dressing. Next, add softer, more tender vegetables and legumes. Last, but not least, add green leafy vegetables and fresh herbs on top so they don’t get all soggy from the dressing.
I’m a sucker for unique and varied textures, so You can experiment and use any combination of ingredients you prefer. This vegan version is filled with fresh garden goodies, but do not hesitate to add your own touch by including rice, quinoa, beans, and/or nuts. Just be sure to add the softer ingredients toward the top to keep them nice and fresh!
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: n/a
Serves: 6
Special Equipment:
6 quart-sized mason jars , rinse before using
Basic Balsamic Dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon maple syrup Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients:
2 medium English cucumbers, chopped
2 large bell peppers, seeded, chopped 1- 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Directions:
1. To prepare the dressing, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lime juice, and maple syrup together in a small glass or other non-reactive bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Set aside.
2. Wash and pat dry all vegetables before prepping. Toss Romaine lettuce, parsley, and basil in a medium bowl to combine. Divide all vegetables into 6 equal portions and set aside.
3. Divide dressing among the 6 mason jars. Add a layer of chopped cucumbers to each jar, followed by a layer of bell peppers. Next, add chickpeas and then the grape tomatoes. Top each jar with the lettuce-herb mixture and seal with a lid.
4. Store salads in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Each salad will last 4-5 days. To serve, remove from refrigerator and pour each jar into a salad bowl and enjoy!
5. If you’re not into the vegan lifestyle, sliced boiled eggs and grated cheeses can be added to this salad , which makes for some interesting textures
As always More recipes like this can be found at http://www.mrfoodie.club a service of Little Dixie Research LLC, by Clark Jones principle researcher and author
About the Creator
Kennedy Jones
the creator, Owner, researcher & Publisher of Southern Red Press, a Lifestyles research & publishing firm ,based in Oklahoma, I’m an 8 time Stroke survivor, now with limited use of my left arm & leg, - https://www.kennedyjones.works
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.