Salad in a Jar
I’m always looking for easy and healthy lunches that I can take with me to go. And this easy salad in a jar recipe is one of my favorite when I feel the need for a balanced and healthy lunch.
One of my pet peeves about salads, is usually that they tend to get very soggy if you bring them to go. This salad in a jar solves that in the best way. All the dressing is poured into the bottom of the glass, so it really doesn’t mix with the rest of the salad before serving – and that keeps the salad leaves fresh and crunchy.
When it comes time to serve, just pour the salad into a bowl and mix a little with your fork. It’s a genius solution to a longstanding issue (a huge issue for me, anyway).
All the textures
This salad is loaded with everything healthy and packed with protein and flavors. I love how it encompasses all the different textures – fresh salad, crunchy seeds, soft lentils and quinoa that adds some extra nutrition and gives you something more to chew on.
For me, salad has to be inviting. I can’t just eat a few salad leaves for lunch and convince myself that I’m full until dinner. But the quinoa and lentils makes this salad in a glass so filling and satisfying that I’m not craving more 30 minutes later.
After I switched to a plant based diet, I became very focused on getting enough protein. Although, the human body doesn’t need as much protein as most people think, it’s still and important part of a healthy diet. But luckily beans and lentils are packed with proteins (actually they container much higher doses of protein than meat).
That’s why I like to put lentils or beans in salad as often as possible – it makes it much easier to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
The funny thing is, I never used to think about how balanced my diet was before I changed it. In hindsight, I can tell that I really wasn’t living very healthy. I definitely didn’t get enough protein for a lot of years – I actually get more protein now after switching to a plant based diet.
What’s great about this recipe:
- Easy to bring with you on the road
- Super healthy and packed with vitamins and minerals
- Balanced combination of carbs and proteins that keeps you full for longer
- Can be made the day before
- The easiest picnic meal ever
Another great thing about salad in a jar is that it can be varied indefinitely. There are so many delicious combinations that you can never run out of new veggies to use. I also love using grilled mushrooms, pears, and the list goes on.
The green lentils can also be swapped with black beans if you prefer. I usually like to make this the evening before a busy day. It makes it so easy to just reach into the refrigerator in the morning and grab it right before I head out the door.
Tip:
If I have a bit of extra hummus, I sometimes like to put that in there as well. Don’t put it at the bottom with the dressing though – put in on top of the quinoa or lentils to keep the salad fresh.
Salad in a jar
Ingredients
- 1.7 oz Quinoa Cooked
- 1.7 oz Green Lentils Cooked
- 1 pinch Dried Basil
- 1 Nectarine Sliced
- 1 handful Beetroot Sprouts
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds or Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 handful Mixed Salad
- 1 handful Watercress
- 4 Yellow Cherry Tomatoes Sliced
Dressing:
- 1 tbsp Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- Juice from ½ Lime
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, sweet and sour chili sauce, salt and lime juice. Pour into the bottom of the glass.In another bowl, stir together quinoa with a little salt and the dried basil. Pour 2 spoonful quinoa in the glass. Add a bit of nectarines, and top with a bit more quinoa and the tomatoes. Drizzle with sesame seeds and top with the green lentils. Next, add the salad, watercress and sprouts.Finally top off with the sunflower seeds and put the lid on the glass. Keep cool until served.
