These Chickpea & Quinoa Mason Jar Salads are a quick and easy way to have a healthy lunch at the office! Layered to ensure nothing gets soggy, they're the perfect way to get in your veggies!
When I used to commute to an office every day, salads were myĀ least favorite thing to pack for lunch. It was pretty much inevitable that a) I would forget the dressing or b) it would be a soggy mess by the time lunch rolled around. They were never enjoyable to eat, and yet they were my favorite lunch…major dilemma.
If I had known about mason jar salads back then, my salad woes would have been fixed.
Because unlike traditional tupperwareĀ salads, mason jars salads don't get soggy, have everything in one jar (yes, dressing included) AND they're super easy to make.
The secret to the perfect mason jar salad? THE LAYERS. It's all about how you layer it.
Honestly, I haven't made that many mason jar salads yet (this old trend is a new one for me!), but from my experimenting, here's what I've found to work best:
- Layer 1: dressing
- Layer 2: beans/protein
- Layer 3: chopped veggies
- Layer 4: grains/nuts/seeds
- Layer 5: greens
The idea is that the dressing will help to marinate the protein and get it more flavorful and doesn't wilt any of the tender greens. And then when you dump it into your bowl, the greens on the bottom and the dressing just pours evenly over the entire salad.
Really though…mad props to whoever invented this. Pure, simple genius.
This particular recipe is actually one that I had from WAY back in the archives and I wanted to give it a little refresh.
I changed the dressing to be much more flavorful, added in chickpeas for more protein and tossed in some arugula to make it more of a meal-sized salad.
Overall, I'm SO happy with it and IĀ think you are going to love it!
Guys, the possibilities with these salad combinations are endless! I'm dying to know…have you tried mason jar salads yet? What are you favorite recipes? Share in the comments below! ā¬
And if you end up making your own quinoa mason jar salad, I want to see what you come up with ā¤Ā Make sure to snap a pic and share it with me on Instagram by taggingĀ @simplyquinoaand usingĀ #simplyquinoa!
xo Alyssa
More Healthy Mason Jar Salad Recipes
Chickpea & Quinoa Mason Jar Salad
Ingredients
for the salad
- 1 cup canned chickpeas
- 1 cup chopped cucumbers
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 - 4 cups arugula
for the dressing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Begin with the dressing. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- When ready to assemble the salads, evenly divide the dressing between 2 wide-mouth mason jars (quart size). Then evenly divide the remaining ingredients and add to the mason jars in the order listed. Seal with lid and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- When serving, pour contents of the mason jar into a bowl. Stir around to help get dressing distributed and enjoy!
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Nutrition
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