~ Mason Jar Salads ~

A new trend in salads are Mason Jar Salads.  If you haven't heard of it it's where you prepare your salads in several mason jars and they keep really well all week for when you need one.

Since I'm a BIG fan of prepping things ahead of time and doing the grab and go in the morning for work, these work perfectly into any busy mom's meal plan.  Imagine prepping all of these for your lunches on the weekend and they are healthy lunch that is all set and ready to go for you during the week.   

It's really quite great -- You layer your salad ingredients with the dressing being on the bottom, salad ingredients in the middle and salad sits on top away from the wet dressing. 

Prepping these are pretty simple:

• Start with the dressing on the bottom of the jar
• Layer all the other toppings and ingredients other than the lettuce in the middle.
• Add grains if you'd like.  Some to try: quinoa, brown rice, and whole- grain pasta. 
• Soak any fruit slices like apple and pears in salt water to prevent browning. 
• To keep fresh for longer pack your salad well in the jar to keep the air out. 
• Top with the lettuce or spinach at the top, and keep the jars upright to prevent the dressing from spreading to the lettuce. 
• When you're ready to enjoy, shake it up and poor it out.  Tadaaaa!!  Healthy lunch is served!

Follow these steps with any of your favourite salad ingredients and recipes.

 

Here's a fun summer recipe to try sometime:

 

Blue Cheese, Pear, and Spinach Salad

You'll need:
4 cups water
½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use
2 medium pears, cored, thinly sliced
½ cup sherry wine vinegar
4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
3 Tbsp. toasted pecan pieces
8 cups baby spinach
2 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese (or feta cheese)

To Make:
1. Combine water and ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl; mix to dissolve salt.
2. Submerge pear slices in water. Let sit for 5 minutes; drain water. Set aside.
3. While pear is sitting, combine vinegar, oil, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and pepper in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Evenly divide dressing between 4 one-quart Mason jars. Set aside.
4. Evenly layer pears, pomegranate, pecans, spinach, and blue cheese on top of dressing in jars.
5. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Shake before serving.\