Mason Jar Salad

I just want to start this post by saying, I love mason jars. I literally have an entire kitchen cupboard devoted to them. I use them for everything: salads, soups, sauces, milks, leftovers, desserts. You name it, I make it in one. I have even bought several blenders based on the fact that they fit a standard mason jar.

That being said, this is probably on of my favorite uses for them. I am currently on week 3 of Wildfit, and in week 2 we upped our vegetable consumption. Enter in the humble salad. I make one every morning with my Alkagizer and fruit plate. In my mind, you might as well get as much chopping done at once as you can. I used a wide mouth jar for this application, and I just pour in into a big bowl of  pre-washed, pre-cut lettuce when I'm ready to eat it. Feel free to change up the veg seasonally or to taste. With two cups of lettuce this has 5 servings of vegetables.

Mason Jar Salad

1 serving of salad dressing (see below)

1/2 avocado

6 cherry tomatoes

1 green/spring onion

1/2 cucumber

1 carrot, shredded

2 cups lettuce/greens of choice

1. Make your dressing on the bottom on a pint wide-mouth mason jar. 
2. Layer in the cut veggies. 
3. When ready to eat, dump over 2 cups of lettuce/greens.

Salad Dressings Four Ways

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch Italian seasoning*

Great add ins: beets, sunflower seeds

Italian Dressing

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp apple cider or white wine vinegar

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch onion powder

1 pinch Italian seasoning*

Great add ins: olives, chickpeas

Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp lime juice

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch Mexican seasoning*

2 sprigs cilantro, chopped fine

Great add ins: bell peppers, mushrooms

Asian Ginger Dressing

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp lime juice or rice wine vinegar

1 tsp coconut aminos

1 pinch sea salt

1/2 clove garlic, grated

1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated

Great add ins: snap peas, mushrooms, sunflower seeds

*I love Frontier Co-op Spices. When choosing a spice blend make sure to check the ingredients list to make sure it is sugar and additive free. 

Until next time...

- Melissa

Summer Green Smoothie

This morning was a treat. I didn't have to go in to work, so the husband and I got to make breakfast together. Somehow, between Swiss-German lessons and feeding the animals, we managed to whip up a Summer Green Smoothie. Smooth, fruity and packed with good things (some of which came out of our budding garden). Below is today's seasonal version:

Summer Green Smoothie
Serves 2

1 Banana
1/4 Melon
1 Nectarine
4-5 Strawberries
1 small Avocado
2 cups Salad Mix
2 sprigs Fresh Mint
1 cup Water

1. Peel and seed, if necessary.
    Rough chop all fruits.
2. Add everything to the blender.
3. Blend until smooth and serve.

We enjoy some version of this twice a week, and its good to have these raw mornings (which also include a salad on Sunday mornings). It is an easy way to get quite a few different fruits and veggies in at one sitting. We do not eat anything else on these mornings, so its easy on the digestion as well.

Until next time...

- Melissa