Title: Mason Jar Salads and More: 50 Layered Lunches to Grab & Go
Author: Julia Mirabella
ISBN-13: 978-1-61243-289-2
Suggested Retail: $16.95 US (Paperback)
Published by Ulysses Press, released May 2014
144 pages, 6 1/2″ x 9″
I will admit it has been a while since I have had to bring a lunch to work, but I won’t forget the repeated cold sandwiches or the need to grab a quick and usually unhealthy bite at a fast food joint because I had skipped out on time to pack a meal. Some afternoons at home with the kids even pan out that way – looking in the fridge for something quick to eat.
A friend recently post this great idea on Facebook that she had tried – make fresh salads and more in Mason jars. I recently previewed Julia Mirabella’s book Mason Jar Salads and More, featuring this same concept.
Mason jar meals stay fresh on average 4-5 days and are easy to grab on the go or just to have something healthy already prepared in the fridge. I have been busy with preparing for family and then family staying with us, but soon hope to try this concept.
With Mason jar salads, you want to stack your ingredients vertically in layers. The dressing is usually at the bottom with vegetables stacked from firmest to softest. It works best to dry your veggies and greens to keep food free of excess moisture and last longer. Ideally this is done with a salad spinner. Reusable cups that fit into the top part of the Mason jars can be purchased or even parchment paper can be used to create a barrier when the ingredients do not include firm veggies and you have dressing or a sauce in your jar.
Ingredients can be packed tightly in the jars. Using glass jars provide reusable food storage. Simply clean them in the dishwasher or they can be hand washed. There is no worry of BPA with Mason jars since they are made of glass and this material is not porous. Once you have your lid and ring in place, food is airtight.
Mason Jar Salads and More includes ideas for breakfast, salads, more lunch ideas (soups, pastas, risottos, and rice dishes), snacks and dips, and salad dressings. Now there is no more worry of a boring lunch with Mason jars and layering your ingredients.
Cobb salad
The Cobb salad is said to be the creation of Robert Cobb, the owner of the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, back in the 1930s. The Cobb salad quickly became a signature dish at the restaurant, and it lives on at restaurants across the country — and in home kitchens, too!
Chopped salads are fantastic for lunch, because they are filling and filled with protein. All the different proteins make this Cobb salad especially pretty packed in a pint jar, but you can easily expand it into a quart jar by adding more romaine. You can grill a chicken breast to use in the salad or use leftover cooked chicken.
Makes 1 serving
1 egg
2 slices bacon
1⁄2 avocado
1 1⁄2 tablespoons French Vinaigrette*
1⁄4 cup diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1⁄4 cup chopped romaine, cut in 2-inch strips*
1⁄4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1 ounce blue cheese
1 pint-size Mason jar*
*To use a quart-size jar, increase the vinaigrette to 3 tablespoons and the romaine to 2 cups.
Place the egg in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then immediately turn off the burner. Cover the pan and let sit for 11 minutes, then remove the egg using a slotted spoon and cool briefly in a cold-water bath. Peel and chop the egg; set aside.
In a small skillet over low to medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the bacon grease, chop into small pieces, and set aside. Cube the avocado.
Place the vinaigrette in the Mason jar, then layer in the tomatoes, parsley and chives, chopped egg, romaine, avocado, and chicken. Crumble the blue cheese into the jar and add the bacon on top. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
French Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1⁄2 tablespoon minced shallot
1⁄4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking, until the dressing thickens.
Watermelon and Feta Salad
Nothing screams summer like watermelon. When it’s especially hot out, some cool, sweet watermelon will help you get through the afternoon. This salad adds a savory note with cherry tomatoes and feta, perfectly complementing the flavor of the watermelon without diminishing the cooling effect.
Makes 1 serving
2 to 3 tablespoons Sherry Vinaigrette
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1⁄3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 pint-size Mason jar
Layer the salad ingredients in the Mason jar, starting with the vinaigrette dressing and continuing with the tomatoes, parsley, watermelon, and feta cheese, in that order. Seal the jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sherry Vinaigrette
2 1⁄2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
Whisk together the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking, until the dressing thickens.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to review. No other compensation was received. The thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
