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March 6, 2020
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Don't Just Pack Your Lunch, Pack it With Flavor!
Mason Jar Salad Lunches that are Eco-Friendly and Delicious!
Spring is here and it’s time to start a healthy routine after hibernating all winter. A fantastic and sustainable way to implement a healthy change into your weekly regimen is by packing your own lunch! National Pack Your Lunch Day is March 10th, a great time to start this healthier practice. Whether you’re headed to work, school, or planning a picnic with friends, bringing your lunch is not only a healthier alternative to picking up take-out but an eco-friendlier one as well.
A common misconception about a packed lunch is that it will lack flavor or pizzazz, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Adding flavor to your lunch is as easy as exploring the exciting world of herbs and spices that The Spice & Tea Exchange ® has to offer. Mason jar salads are a wonderful way to start packing your lunch. These salads are easy to assemble and perfect for personalizing. Using our herb and spice blends in these recipes will easily elevate each salad.
An awesome perk of adding this meal to your weekly regimen is that these salads can be made 3-5 days ahead. That makes mason jar salads great for meal prepping when you have a busy week looming. Switching up the flavors each week, or even day-to-day will help keep your lunch exciting and effortless. The Spice & Tea Exchange’s variety of spices and blends are ideal for adding flavor to your life and putting the pep back into your packed lunch. Below are a few mason jar salad recipes featuring our herb and spice blends packed with flavor!
Buffalo Tofu Mason Jar Salad
This salad features Carolina BBQ Rub and Rustic Garden Ranch Spice Blend to create the perfect combination of tangy and sweet. If you’re looking for a salad that tastes like buffalo, but without the chicken, this is the salad for you.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. Carolina BBQ Spice Blend
- 4 tsp. Rustic Garden Ranch Spice Blend
- 32 oz. mason jar
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. hot sauce
- 1 cup extra-firm tofu, cubed
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- chopped celery
- shredded carrot
- cherry tomatoes halved
- romaine lettuce
Directions:
- MIX the Carolina BBQ Spice Blend, unsalted butter, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl.
- ADD diced tofu and let it marinate, covered in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- STRAIN the tofu, don’t discard the liquid.
- SAUTEE the tofu in a frying pan until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the marinade liquid to a bowl with the cornstarch and mix until well combined.
- POUR the sauce into the frying pan and cook until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- REMOVE from pan and set aside to cool.
- COMBINE Rustic Garden Ranch Spice Blend with buttermilk and mayonnaise and whisk until well combined.
- USING a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 Tbsp. of dressing, followed by tofu, celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and romaine lettuce.
- SEAL mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Italian Herb Mason Jar Salad
This salad features a luxurious assortment of Italian herbs and spices. Italian Herb Spice Blend, Roasted Black Garlic Sea Salt, and Tuscany Spice Blend work together to create a refreshing and indulgent salad that is topped with chicken.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp. Italian Herb Spice Blend
- 1 tsp. Roasted Black Garlic Sea Salt
- ½ Tbsp. Tuscany Spice Blend
- 32 oz. mason jar
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- ½ Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 chicken breast
- cucumber, sliced
- cherry tomatoes halved
- shredded parmesan cheese
- baby spinach
Directions:
- SEASON the chicken with Italian Herb Spice Blend and Roasted Black Garlic Sea Salt and heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- ONCE hot, add the chicken and cook until well-browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.
- ONCE the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan. Cut into strips and allow to completely cool.
- COMBINE lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Tuscany Spice Blend into a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
- USING a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 Tbsp. of dressing, followed by chicken, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, shredded parmesan cheese, and baby spinach.
- SEAL mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Mediterranean Chickpea Mason Jar Salad
Greek Seasoning and Dill Weed are featured in this salad to really bring out the flavors of the Med. A divine combination of vegetables, chickpeas, and feta cheese is sure to be your new favorite Greek salad.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp. Greek Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Dill Weed
- 32 oz. mason jar
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
- 2 tbsp. filtered water
- 1 cup garbanzo beans
- red onion, diced
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- romaine lettuce
Directions:
- COMBINE red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, spicy mustard, water, Greek Seasoning, and Dill Weed into a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
- USING a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 Tbsp. of dressing, followed by garbanzo beans, red onion, English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and romaine lettuce.
- SEAL mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Sizzlin’ Southwest Mason Jar Salad
This salad is packed with the flavors of the Southwest! Adobo Spice Blend, Aleppo Pepper Spice Blend, and Southwest Spice Blend accentuate all your favorite taco ingredients but will have you forgetting about the messiness of hand-held tacos.
Ingredients:
- ½ Tbsp. Southwest Spice Blend
- 1 tsp. Adobo Spice Blend
- ½ tsp. Aleppo Pepper Spice Blend
- 32 oz. mason jar
- 1/8 cup lime juice
- ½ Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 chicken breast
Optional Toppings:
- black beans
- avocado
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- tortilla strips
- romaine lettuce
- cilantro
Directions:
- SEASON the chicken with Southwest Spice Blend and heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- ONCE hot, add the chicken and cook until well-browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.
- ONCE the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan. Cut into strips and allow to completely cool.
- COMBINE lime juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Adobo Spice Blend and Aleppo Pepper Spice Blend into a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
- USING a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 Tbsp. of dressing, followed by chicken, black beans, avocado, cherry tomatoes, tortilla strips, cilantro, and romaine lettuce.
- SEAL mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing Mason Jar
Island Sweet Spice Blend and Poppy Seeds are the centerpieces of this sweet summer salad. Covered in berries, mandarin oranges, and toasted pecans, this is the perfect salad to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. Island Sweet Spice Blend
- ½ Tbsp. Poppy seeds
- 32 oz. Mason jar
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 5 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher Salt
- 1 chicken breast
- blueberries
- strawberries
- sliced mandarin oranges
- toasted pecans
- spinach
- crumbled feta
- SEASON the chicken with Island Sweet Spice Blend and heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- ONCE hot, add the chicken and cook until well-browned on all sides and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side.
- ONCE the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan. Cut into strips and allow to completely cool.
- TOSS together strawberries, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.
- TRANSFER strawberry mixture to a blender, and process until smooth, about a minute. Turn blender on low, and gradually add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Return mixture to a bowl and whisk in Poppy Seeds.
- USING a quart size mason jar, layer about 2-4 Tbsp. of dressing, followed by blueberries, strawberries, mandarin oranges, toasted pecans, feta, and spinach.
- SEAL mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
