Salads in a jar! Mason jar salads! They’re the hottest thing since….salad on a plate.
I turned my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad into a salad in a jar for yesterday’s news segment and everyone went bonkers. There’s something magical about dumping a bunch of layers into a bowl and watching it turn into a salad before your very eyes. Like, how in the world did that just happen.
Ya know how lately I’ve been talking about how I haven’t been in the mood to cook? Welp, these Mason jar salads have been the answers to all my prayers. Since my desire to cook is fleeting, I’ve been trying to take advantage of the ten minutes when I feel like making something that doesn’t involve Hummusapien or Alchemy and make as much as humanly possible in that itty bitty time frame.
These are SO simple. Since the dressing is at the bottom of the jar, you don’t have to worry about the greenies getting all funkalicious. They stay nice and crisp while the goodies at the bottom soak up the vinaigrette. BADA BOOM CHICKA BOW WOW BOMB DIGGITY.
When I saw that Taylor’s Gold pears were on sale for $1.99 at Whole Foods Market Upper Arlington, I was initially going to make them into muffins. Who doesn’t die for a juicy, sweet pear stuffed into a muff? The issue is that I always bake up forty seven things and then think, “Wait. Why did I just make MORE baked goods when I don’t have any food to eat for actual meals?!” Muffins are not meals. Or are they?
Then there’s the frozen quinoa. Yes, it’s of course a tad pricier than buying it dry in bulk, but sometimes you just want to whip up your lunches in a flish flash without having to turn on the stove. Can I get an AMEN!
Amen.
Microwave the bag of quinoa. Whisk together the four-ingredient dressing. Chop walnuts, onion, and pears. Layer. A monkey could make this salad!!
If microwaving frozen quinoa and making Major jar salads ahead of time will make you all eat healthier, than so be it. Sometimes it’s well worth it to spend that extra dollar on a convenience item if it means the difference between cooking at home or calling for take-out.
WORSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAN FROZEN KEEN-WA.
So make a few of these on a Sunday night and put it in your lunchbox with a big bowl for dumping. Hey lunch (for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday), you just got SERVED.
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Loaded with protein-packed quinoa, pear, and spinach, this makes the perfect work week lunch!
Ingredients
For the maple balsamic dressing:
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tbsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 2 tbsp maple balsamic dressing
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 large ripe pear, diced
- 2 tbsp pecans, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp dried cherries or cranberries
- 2–3 cups baby spinach (or enough to fill the jar)
- 1-quart size (32oz) mason jar
Instructions
- Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until combined. (I blended mine in my nutribullet.) You’ll have leftover dressing.
- Place 2 tbsp of dressing at the bottom of a mason jar. Layer with quinoa and then top with walnuts, pear, onion, dried cranberries, and finishing with the spinach on top.
- Place lid on mason jar and refrigerate until ready to dump in a large bowl and eat!
[Tweet “Make these Pear, Quinoa, and Spinach Salads in a Jar for the work week! via @TheHummusapien @WholeFoodsUA”]
This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market Upper Arlington as part of our ongoing partnership. Thanks for supporting the companies that make Hummusapien possible!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
i got a bag of pear which i have been eating with PB, which I am not complaining about but its nice to see a different use of it. yes salad in a jar is magical :)
Kelly @ Eat the Gains says
Pears and PB?! I’m going to have to try that.
Colleen Welsch says
I didn’t even know frozen quinoa was a thing. Why have I been wasting my time???
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
I love how you show everyone that even when you’re not in the mood to cook, you can eat healthy whole foods! Mason jars are so great for keeping salads fresh. I’ve never added a grain to mine–I think it’s time I did that. Great recipe!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Wait, FROZEN quinoa? IS this real life? Next week there will be pre filled mason jars.
I wonder if we can put sauteed romaine in these.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
This sounds amazing! AH! I LOVE pears…I always have to have hard UNRIPE Bosc pears in the fridge for snacking…I am obsessed with unripe boscs right now :P Weird, but good!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Um… please tell me how I did not know that quinoa can be bought frozen…? That is awesome!
She Rocks Fitness says
It depends on the size of the muffin and whether or not it can be called a meal…LOL! Oh pears how I love thee…especially when they’re super juicy and they dribble down your chin. :) Everything looks better in a mason jar.
Shannon says
I have not had a pear in forever! And muffins are a perfectly acceptable meal!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I love that you can make salad in a jar! I definitely need to try this idea out – it’s perfect for me for university.
Blanca says
doesnt the pear get brown by the 4th one you eat?
Lacey @ Runs and Roses says
Huh I’ve never seen frozen quinoa before… it definitely would help with meal prep for those busy mornings!
★★★★★
Julia says
Is it weird that I’m fantasizing about hugging 12 jars of quinoa pear and spinach salad? Cause I totally am…embracing these jars to my bosom…in my head…must become a reality pronto. Basically I think your jars rule and I want to carry them around in my over-sized satchel to keep the fungry monster happy. :D
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen says
Salads in a jar are just so dang pretty!! AND frozen quinoa?! Well, I just discovered frozen rice today!!! Gonna have to check that out!
Jolinda says
Found this recipe after loving your Greek Yogurt Mango (and Pineapple) Muffin recipe. It all sounds like something I’ve done for years getting ready for a dinner party…stacking your salad. Just a hint, taking the 5 minutes total to toast those sliced almonds (from Costco – cheap – same with died tart cherries) makes a world of difference in their flavor.
And to state the obvious, why not make a large batch of quinoa and freeze yourself in small freezer zip loc bags (reusable). To that end, you could chop and freeze the onion pieces along with the quinoa all at one time…not quite as crisp and oniony but makes for a very fast salad. I use my stick blender/mini processor to make all salad dressings…so fast and can store in the refrigerator right in the mini processor. It’s my very favorite kitchen (next to my $400 outrageious Breville ice cream maker with it’s own compressor…makes all kinds in 30 minutes). The older Braun ones were the kind to buy and the stick blender, kept plugged in on the island next to the sink, is SO handy for mix and wash and rehang in 2 minutes. OKAY…there you have it, all my tips and tricks for the day! :)
★★★★★
Megan @ Straight From The Jar says
Muffins are definitely meals and you should definitely make those pear muffins, YUM. This salad also looks YUM. And mason jars are everything <3
Dee says
I’ve had this salad for lunch two days in a row. So nummy! I never expect recipes that are so easy to be so good! This one is. Everything complements everything else perfectly. (I just made my quinoa the regular way–I had the time and a huge bag of dry quinoa in the pantry.)
★★★★★
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