Mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas
A perfect make ahead meal which is vegan, gluten-free and so very nutritious!
Some days we are so rushed in the morning that we head out for work without packing a lunch, and that really sucks. Can you relate? Every best intention to head to the cafeteria or nearby restaurant to buy something healthy is usurped by the sights and smells of tempting options – like French fries and mayonnaise loaded sandwiches. We try to be strong, but sometimes we’re weak and we give in to greasy temptations.
One solution is to have ready-made, grab-and-go lunches ready and waiting. There is no morning that is so busy that you can’t open the fridge and pull out an already packed lunch to take along with you. And when you make a few of these pre-packed meals at a time, you’re winning at life!
One of our favourite things to have for lunch is salad, and when we’re home we’ll often enjoy our Greek-style Cobb salad, our maniatiki salad or our potato salad. And although all of these salads can certainly make for a delicious work-day lunch, our mason jar salad with quinoa and chickpeas is another great option!
Mason jar salads are so easy to make and once you get the hang of a few basic principles, the options are limitless. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to make your own mason jar salad creations.
Tips and tricks to making the perfect mason jar salad.
- Size does matter. We’ve found that the 750 ml mason jar is the perfect size for an individual serving of salad.
- First in is always the dressing.
- The order in which you layer your ingredients is very important. Heartier ingredients go in first because they will be in contact with your dressing and they won’t get soggy.
- The general rule of thumb is that grains, protein and firm vegetables go in first while greens, lettuces and any sprouts go in last. Top those with any seeds or nuts that you may be using.
- Although you prepare and store the salad in the mason jar you will be serving it in a bowl, so be sure to have one available.
Pin this recipe if you like it!
Looking for more delicious salad recipes? Be sure to check these out:
Horiatiki salad (Greek village salad)
We love hearing from you! If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!, please leave a comment below!
Great idea and looks so yummy!😋
Thanks so much!! They are so handy to have in the fridge for a grab and go lunch! xoxo Helen & Billie