Recipe Card
The Mason Jar Salad I Make Every Meal-Prep Sunday
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1
- Calories
- 597 kcal
- Carbs
- 33.00 g
Ingredients
- 1 cupdiced cucumber
- 1 cupchopped red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 cupshredded carrots
- 1 cupcorn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned is fine to use)
- 2 cupsbaby spinach (or other leafy salad greens)
- ½ cupchopped dried mango (use unsweetened for the best results, or use other dried fruit, like apricots or dried cranberries)
- ¼ cuptoasted sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts of choice, like walnuts or almonds)
- ½ cupolive oil
- ½ cuplime juice (You can also use 2 teaspoons lime zest for more flavor, optional.)
- 2 teaspoonsagave nectar
- 2 teaspoonsgarlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoonsalt
- 1/4 teaspoonblack pepper
- 1 cupuncooked quinoa (rinsed. Or use 2 ½ cups cooked quinoa and omit the water.)
- 1½ cups water
- 15 ouncecan chickpeas (drained and rinsed. Or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1 cupred onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 cupcherry tomatoes (halved)
Instructions
- 1
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is nice and fluffy. Set aside. You can also make the quinoa in the Instant Pot or use around 3 cups thawed, frozen quinoa.
- 2
While the quinoa cooks and cools, get the rest of your salad ingredients together. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and chop up the veggies.
- 3
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until they are well combined.
- 4
The layer order matters, so follow these instructions closely! First, divide the chickpeas and onions between the jars, and top that with the dressing (about 2 to 3 tablespoons per jar). Then, divide the remaining crunchy veggies between the jars. Top each jar with ¼ of the cooled quinoa, then top it off with the baby spinach, the mango, and the seeds or nuts, if you're using them.
- 5
Close up the jars and refrigerate. When you're ready for lunch, take out a jar, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, open it up, and flip the jar over into a large salad bowl. Toss well, and eat.