These small but mighty mason jar salads are an easy lunch or snack idea you can prepare at home before your busy week begins. Each jar packs in 13 grams of protein and 13 grams of fibre. With endless opportunity for ingredient substitutions, I am interested in hearing what you all come up with! Be sure to check out the PCOS Powers listed at the end of this post (there are a lot!).
Ingredients (makes 5 mason jars):
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups corn, frozen or canned
- 1 can kidney beans (I plan to add more next time)
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp seeds (pumpkin, hemp, flax, sesame, etc)
- greens (spinach, kale, etc), organic if possible
- veggies (beets, carrots, etc)
How to:
- Cook 1 cup of dry quinoa.
- Rinse and measure out your corn and beans.
- Once quinoa has cooled, begin layering your salad by adding 1 tbsp of olive oil into each jar, then evenly distribute the beans, corn, quinoa, & seeds (really pack it down to fit everything in).
- Finally, distribute greens and veggies (I had spiralized beets sitting in the fridge so I threw those in but you can get creative!).
- Store in fridge up to 5 days. When ready to eat, remove from fridge 30 min before eating (this will allow olive oil to liquefy again), shake jar, pour salad into a bowl and dig in!
PCOS Powers:
- spinach = high in calcium which helps alkalize acidity caused by inflammation and impaired glucose tolerance, high in magnesium which some women with PCOS are deficient in
- kale = anti-inflammatory, high in fiber, & high in calcium which is important for egg maturation and follicle development
- kidney beans = high in fiber which helps prevent heart disease, good source of iron and magnesium
- quinoa = high in fiber, gluten-free, helps manage insulin resistance and high blood pressure
- flax seeds = contain lignans which may increase sex hormone-binding globulin and therefore lower blood testosterone levels, may reduce blood pressure
- beets = anti-inflammatory, helps lower blood pressure, shown to reduce cancerous tumors in various animal models
- extra virgin olive oil = anti-inflammatory, studies show 1-2 tbsp a day can lower risk of certain types of cancers
- low glycemic = helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and energy
What plant-based lunches do you make? Share your ideas with me in the comments below and have a great week! 🙂
I’d like one of those for lunch!
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 00:06:07 +0000 To: [email protected]
Hmm.. maybe I could try selling them at the Garage!
I absolutely LOVE mason jar meals. I’ve been making soups lately but love the idea of spiralizing a beet like you’ve done and including quinoa. Such a great idea to bring to work or school!
Thanks for connecting, Taylor! I definitely have been making some coworkers envious 😛
These look amazing! I cannot wait to make these but they definitely will not come out as good as yours did. They look almost too good to eat!
I believe in you! Extra effort was made in layering with the intent to photograph them 😉 They don’t usually look this neat!
I have always loved the idea of mason jar salads. Your version looks fantastic!
I love taking these to work for lunch. This is a hearty combo. Looks fantastic.
I love this idea. What a great way to pack healthy lunches. They look amazing!
Mason Jar salads are The Best! Love the way you spiralled the beets!
oops! That auto-correct got me! Spiralized!!
My mom makes me all the time! I definitely need to start. So easy and healthy.
I love this healthy version of salad-in-a-jar! And the spiralized beets are great!
Thanks! I agree the beets added a little flair at the end.
I just make general salads but you have made salads more fun and especially in a mason jar! I never thought of that idea.
xoxo
Isaly Holland
http://www.memoriesbyisaly.com
Its amazing how much you can fit in these jars!
These look AMAZING! Totally making these!
These actually look so tasty! And something you could buy at a fancy cafe!
oh these look wonderful!
These look delicious! They’d be perfect for me to take to work!
Those look delicious and easy to make! I have debated making something like this for easy salads in the afternoon. Better then skipping lunch, which is what I consistently do. :-/
Oo these look good! I must try this!
Those spiralized beets are beautiful! I’d love to try this recipe sometime soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
xo Kathryn
http://www.fashionablyfrank.com
I need to make these to keep on hand. They sound yummy and easy!
These are so pretty AND healthy. Win and win 🙂
I love those ideas. Thanks for sharing.
This looks like a delicious salad. I never would of thought to put it in a mason jar tho!!
Wow. This looks so Yumm. and the Olive oil would do magic on the other ingredients. beautiful and well explained clicks. Thanks for sharing.. 🙂
UK
http://fashionablefoodz.com
What a cool idea. These salads look so healthy and I love how they look in the jars!
Such a great idea for premade work lunches! I work from home, literally four feet away from my fridge, so I just make mine fresh, but this would be great if I worked in an office!
I love meal prepping because it makes it so easy to stick to a clean diet 🙂 I especially love how easy these are to make and that you are able to store them for as long as 5 days! Yay!
Is it really filling as well? I am always looking for new ways to make lunches!
Loving the colors and how healthy this salad is.
I’m a long time fan of salads in a jar. I have a great collection of jars to prove it. haha
Wow! These looks amazing. It’s so colorful and appetizing. So going to try making this. Thanks
You did a great job. They look amazing.
These will come in handy when my maternity leave is up and I’m back to work.
Beautiful salad! I love making mine in mason jars too!
I’ve seen this idea in pinterest before and easily loved it! It’s brilliant and it’s easy. I would love to do this in the summer! It’s going to make life easier.
These look amazing! I have never thought to make these ahead of time. Then I wouldn’t have to think about lunch.
That salad looks delicious! I’d worry that the greens would wilt, but I’ll just have to try it for myself.
These look so colorful and delicious!
I love how convenient this is! My mom and I would make this and then have it for lunch. It’s really fun and it’s easy!
What size mason jar do you use?
Hello! In the photo I have used pint sized jars. 🙂