Life gets busy, but it’s still important to regularly enjoy a healthy lunch.
Federico De Puy, MD, cardiologist with Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, enjoys making mason jar salads and shares his method for a healthy, convenient lunch on-the-go. Wash, chop and prepare all the ingredients Sunday evening, then they’re ready to go any day of the week.
Create Layers
The secret to a mason jar salad is the layering technique.
Start with homemade salad dressing on the bottom as the first layer. For the dressing, use 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil with lemon juice.
Then add spices depending on the salad type. For example, Dr. De Puy often adds Himalayan salt and pepper, cumin, paprika and coriander or Italian spices. He also likes onions, so he often adds chopped-up onions in the dressing.
Add Protein
The next layer is usually vegan protein, such as chickpeas, hemp hearts or flaxseed. For a fiesta salad, use black beans and corn.
Pile on the Veggies
On top of that, use about of cup of raw veggies. Chopped cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes or avocados work great here!
Finally, load up as much romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage or any type of greens, usually about 2 cups.
Tighten the lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Shake it Up
When it is time to eat, shake up the salad and eat! If you find it difficult to get a fork in the mason jar, pour the salad onto a plate or into a bowl.
