I know it sounds crazy that any airline meal {meal? what meal?} could inspire not just a recipe but a whole new lease on lunch.
But so it was on my Jet Blue flight back to the west when I ordered a layered salad. Actually, I don’t know what they called it on the menu.
I have now institutionalized it in my own life as the layered salad–to go.
This one came in a clear jar with a lid. There was brown rice on the bottom harboring the balsamic dressing, a middle layer of greens and a topping of chopped tomato. A tiny container held a tablespoon of feta cheese.
I tipped in the feta, stirred up the dressing and grains from the bottom to blend with the lettuce. And then I ate it from top to bottom, enjoying every bite.
For real.
With my hunger gone, I looked at the empty jar and thought: Eureka!
Layered Salad How To
It’s not a recipe but a method, a formula for shaking up to-go lunch, school lunch or any other meal on the road.
Layered salad, all in a single jar. I used a wide-mouth pint jar, but for a large salad use a wide-mouth quart jar.
Not soggy, not bland, not boring.
Tasty, fresh, crunchy and satisfying. And so many possibilities.
Here are the building blocks:
Layer 1: Any cooked grain of your choosing, from barley to couscous to quinoa, ideally leftover. In a pinch, soak bulgur instead {see recipe note}.
Add dressing. We keep a bottle of all-purpose balsamic dressing {2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar} in the cupboard.
Layer 2: Fresh greens, such as salad mix, baby spinach or other salad greens well packed. These locally grown Asian salad greens are as tasty as they are hearty.
Layer 3: Chopped fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato, carrot, avocado or broccoli or cauliflower florets. Dig through that veggie bin!
Layer 4: Cheese, crumbled, cubed or grated or substitute beans, such as chickpeas or white beans for a vegan version.
Layer 5: Seeds or nuts, toasted for best flavor, salted or unsalted. What’s a salad without seeds?
Seriously, who needs to buy those pre-mixed salad bowls when you can quickly assemble your own?
Let’s fly!
What good meals are you packing to go? Let me know in the comments below or tag a photo #lynnesforage on Instagram or Facebook.
Layered Salad in a Jar
Equipment
- 1 pint sized mason jar with lid or other container that seals well.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup bulgur or other cooked grains
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 cup mixed salad greens
- 1/4 cup diced tomato
- 1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Scoop the bulgur into the bottom of a clean pint jar. Drizzle in the balsamic vinaigrette. Pack in the salad greens, top with the tomato, feta and seeds. Secure the lid.
- Before eating, stir the salad from the bottom to blend well.
The post How to Make a 5-Minute Layered Salad To-Go in a Jar appeared first on Lynne Curry.