From The Straits Times    |

RECIPE: Make these 3 quick and easy salads in a jar

Image: 123rf.com

Salads are everywhere these days, especially if you work in the CBD. Walk into any salad bar and you’ll find a plethora of colourful ingredients that will make a healthy, nutritious lunch.

You’ll also find that you can easily buy those ingredients from the supermarket and assemble them yourself – at half the cost. And with the currently-trendy method of packing salads in a jar – because it’s neat, smart (separates the ingredients so they stay fresh), and so Instagram-worthy – you might just want to be your own salad chef.

The premise is simple: In a mason jar, stack your salad ingredients starting with the wettest and heaviest (your dressing and protein, for example). Put the leafy greens right on top and screw on the lid. It’s all about smart layering.

To get started, take some inspiration from Elika Mather, a certified health coach who started ElikaFit and co-founded Kitchen by Food Rebel café. She offers three great jar salad recipes below.

Feel free to improvise by swopping out some ingredients for others that you have on hand. Using leftover ingredients is always a good idea!

1. Chickpea & Zoodles Jar Salad

(From bottom to top)
Hummus
Chickpeas
Zucchini, spiralised (zoodles)
Peppers, thinly sliced
Carrots, grated
Purple cabbage, shredded

2. Vegan Quinoa Jar Salad

(From bottom to top)
Leftover vegetable stock
Quinoa, cooked
Peppers, thinly sliced
Cherry tomatoes, whole
Mushrooms, roughly chopped
Carrots, grated
Purple cabbage, shredded

3. Spicy Tomato Chicken Jar Salad

(From bottom to top)
Leftover roast chicken, shredded
Canned tomatoes, chopped
Mixed herbs, chopped
Red chilli flakes
Carrot, grated
Cucumbers, thinly sliced
Spinach leaves

This story was originally published in Shape