Mason Jar Salad! Looks Good, Tastes Even Better
The “mason jar salad.” It’s fun, it’s fresh, it’s all over Pinterest…But is there any real reason for you to try it?
Hey, you!! Are you eating your veggies?
If so, great! If not…or, if kinda-sorta-not-every-day…you may be able to motivate yourself with the power of presentation.
I’m a big proponent of proper presentation (sorry, I’ll stop that now), as you know if you follow me on Facebook! To me, half the fun of cooking is arranging everything on your plate into an art form, and making it look even more appetizing!
What’s more visually appealing than rainbow ribbons of superfoods?
Plus, you don’t need to be a sous-chef to be able to prepare a mason jar salad…
Just start out with a base, like grilled chicken or quinoa (actually, if you’re eating HFLC, try a rice/quinoa alternative whose texture is almost identical, like shredded broccoli rice) or avocado…
Then, think about what other layers might go with it…walnuts? Feta cheese? Spinach? Strawberries? Corn? Go with whatever sounds good, and don’t overthink it!
Also, don’t worry about what order you’re stacking the ingredients in in the mason jar, since it’ll end up getting tossed anyway!
(Obviously, t’s way better eating this salad from a bowl than trying to eat it out of the mason jar, so you get to eat it like an actual salad instead of one layer at a time...Or you may end up like this angry woman, who received a burrito with the ingredients placed in a horizontal row…)
Now, for some solid salad ideas…
First, how about a fruit salad yogurt parfait? Just to show that your mason jar salad doesn’t have to include greens to be good for you! Start off the bottom layer with some LOW CARB GRANOLA...Yes, you read that right! I’ve always liked the taste of granola, probably mostly because of the nuts and sweetness, but the rolled grains/oats make it a no-no…unless you use finely chopped almonds as imitation granola!
After you’ve baked up some nice warm granola including the healthy fat of your choosing, it’s time to pile on the fruit…yogurt…or maybe you want milk to make a mason muesli (I know, I said I would stop with the alliteration)! Be sure to avoid soy here!
If you’re not feeling fruit in your mason jar salad, consider having more of a “bowl” than a salad. Cauliflower rice with black beans, carrots, tomatoes, olives, jalapeno…and romaine!
Then there’s the matter of what dressing to pour on top. Avocado ranch is always my top choice, but get creative!
Why not kick it up a notch and make your own dressing from scratch with dijon mustard, garlic, pepper…you could even break out the ol’ mortar and pestle for grinding down paste/spice mixtures! All this may be added effort, but it’s the best way to CONTROL what goes into what you’re eating. We often don’t think twice about that when it comes to extras like sauces. (Making your own dressing also ensures you avoid the insanity of the low-fat trend in dressing!!)
Feel free to add your own “extras” on the mason jar salad, like keto collagen or ghee. It doesn’t matter whether your add-ins are common on a salad or not. “Salad” is a broad term.
Besides, what you’re making isn’t “salad,” it’s Culinary Art!!
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