Taste & Tattle Tuesday: Mason Jar Salads

Hi Everyone! Colette here!

I know it seems like all I write about is salads (see here), but I have good reason! Salads are easy, diverse, and a good way to make sure you're getting 5 full servings of fruit and veggies a day.

This week, I want to talk about something I saw on Pinterest: Mason Jar Salads.

Here's the picture that first sparked my interest:

 

I got my hands on three Mason Jars and decided to give my own spin on these a whirl this week. The salads will last in the jar up to 7 days, so I made all three of mine on Sunday. The nice thing about doing the prep ahead of time is that these are super easy to grab-and-go before work or school. 

Here's what I started with to make my salads:

I decided to make three different types of salad to make sure I had some variety in my lunches for the week (variety is the spice of life, right?). I made an Asian-inspired, a Greek-inspired, and a Southwest-inspired.

Now, most of these were made with things I just happened to have on-hand. I'm already plotting what changes and additions I can make in the future to add more protein and new flavors. But here are this week's creations:

Southwest Salad in a Jar

1 oz. tortilla chips, crumbled

1/3 cup shredded jack and cheddar cheese

1/4 cup jalapeno + cilantro salsa

Carrots (julienne)

Yellow corn

Greens (50% baby spring mix, 50% baby kale)

Asian Salad in a Jar

2 tbsp. Tastefully Simply Tangy Ginger Dressing

2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

Mushrooms (sliced)

Carrots (julienne)

Greens (50% baby spring mix, 50% baby kale)

Greek Salad in a Jar

2 tbsp. Ken's Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/3 cup fat-free feta cheese

5 Kalamata olives

Tomatoes (grape, whole)

Carrots (julienne)

Mushrooms (slived)

Greens (50% baby spring mix, 50% baby kale)

I layered the salads by putting the dressing on the bottom of the jar. I topped that with cheeses and/or nuts. Then came the heartier veggies. Finally, the greens went on top (so, when you dump the jar out onto a plate, it will be on the bottom). Here's how the jars look, ready to go:

 

Do you bring lunches to school or work? What are your easy grab-and-go lunch solutions? What would you like to put in a mason jar salad? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

Taste and Tattle Tuesdays: Cold Entree

Good Morning, Foodies! Lauren here!

This week, we thought we'd feature a cold entree. I, however, don't do many cold meals (ahem! I blame the husband), so finding something that sounded yummy that is served cold posed a little challenge for me. I stumbled across a noodle dish, and since Asian food usually goes over well in our house, I gave it a shot.

Here's a link to the original recipe.

I did amend the recipe a bit. Whenever I follow recipes like this, I always find I don't have enough sauce, so I doubled the amount of everything, except the peanut butter.

Additionally, I added Sriracha (It's heaven if you like things spicy) and garlic. I knew I'd add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles at the end for garnish and flavor.

Tip: Never do anything just for garnish. Everything on the plate should be purposed to eat and add flavor. End of rant.  

Mix the ingredients together and bring to a simmer.

Another tip: taste and adjust. I found it was still a bit too much like liquid peanut butter, so I added more of my favorite ingredients. People often tell me they can't cook or stray from a recipe, but that's just not true. You know what flavors you like, right? Then, start there. That being said, I added more garlic and siracha.

The recipe calls for pasta noodles, but I chose Pad Thai noodles (they were on sale and I love them).

 Boil your noodles (always salt your water, but never put oil in the water or this Italian will judge you from afar). Normally, you don't rinse pasta, but it's okay to rinse Pad Thai noodles. Then, toss the noodles with the sauce; dish on a plate; and garnish with scallions, cucumbers (I julienned mine) and chow mein noodles.

Final thoughts:

1. If you want to make this recipe officially vegetarian, use vegetable stock/broth instead of chicken.
2. I added shrimp for protein, but you could do chicken or beef, too. 
3. You can serve this cold, at room temp, or hot. Because you can serve it at any temp, it makes a nice party dish or something to take on a picnic.

Enjoy!