Mason jar salads
Mason jar salads are the latest trend in healthy eating. They are a great way to have a fresh and healthy lunch at work or on the go. You will impress your colleagues when they see your colourful jar in the staffroom fridge!
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 25 grams butter
- 2 leeks, finely sliced
- 1½ cups pearl barley
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 300 grams pumpkin, chopped into 1-2cm chunks
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, heated
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Method
It's so easy to pick your favourite salad ingredients and get creative with colour and flavours. Start with the dressing and then add the heaviest and most non-absorbent ingredients. Work your way up through the lighter ingredients and finish off with the salad greens.
Here's how to do it:
Layering your salad
- Pour your dressing in first. This will prevent the other ingredients going soggy.
- Other ‘wet’ items, like cucumber can go at the bottom too. Add chunky ingredients that won’t soak up the dressing, like cherry tomatoes, capsicum, celery, broccoli or carrots.
- Then you can pop in the pasta or grains; like rice, couscous, or quinoa.
- On top of this goes your protein, like chicken, tuna, or beans.
- Now add the yummy extras, like nuts, seeds or cheese.
- Put the salad greens in last.
Creating the perfect salad in a jar
- Pack the layers tightly. The less air between layers, the longer your salad will stay fresh.
- Make sure the jar is clean and dry. Mason jars are perfect for creating your jar salad in. But alternatively you can use any wide mouthed, pint-sized glass jar. Sealed glass jars will keep your salad fresher for longer.
- When you tip everything into a bowl to eat, the greens will be on the bottom, and shaking everything out will toss the salad evenly.
- Make sure to screw the lid on tightly and keep upright when you are transporting it.