Mason Jar Salads Three Ways, With Garlic-Lemon Tahini Sauce - Main Course Recipe
Mason Jar Salads Three Ways, With Garlic-Lemon Tahini Sauce
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Category
Main Course
Servings
About 3 Mason Jars each Salad
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
15-20 minutes
These easy and practical Mason jar salads are a great way to mix up the usual lunchtime routine. These are just a few ways to get started with Mason jar salads - really, the possibilities are endless! Just add your favourite veggies and toppings to a base of quinoa, pasta, lentils, millet or rice and you're ready to go. The versatile tahini-based sauce, flavoured with garlic and lemon, works with any combination of ingredients, and adds a rich and creamy touch. Tahini is made with ground sesame seeds - they're mixed with just a little water, until a smooth paste forms. It's easy to find in organic or Asian grocery stores. Sesame seeds are rich in minerals like calcium, zinc and manganese. They also contain generous amounts of B vitamins, and are a great source of plant-based protein. We often use them in Middle Eastern foods, like hummus, baba ganoush and halva, as well as in kebabs and bread, and even in cakes and granola bars! Tahini makes an excellent base for this creamy vinaigrette that's as delicious on salads as it is on grilled vegetables.
Ingredients
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1 cup quinoa
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1 cup red beans
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1/2 cup corn kernels
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1 red, orange or yellow pepper, thinly sliced
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1 dozen cherry tomatoes, cut in 2
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1/3 cup nuts of your choice
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1 cup fresh spinach
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1 1/2 cups short pasta of your choice
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1/2 cup green or Kalamata olives
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2 lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
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10 cherry tomatoes, halved
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1 cup tofu, cut into cubes
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1/3 cup PRANA organic raw European pumpkin seeds a few leaves fresh basil
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1 cup beluga (black) or green lentils
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2 carrots, grated
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1 cup shelled edamame
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1/4 cup minced red onion
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1/3 cup PRANA organic raw pecans
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1 cup fresh spinach
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1 cup tofu, cut into cubes
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1 cup tahini
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Juice of 1 lemon
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2 tbsp maple syrup
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3 tbsp olive oil
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2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
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1 large pinch of sea salt
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Freshly ground pepper
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7 tbsp water
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Pasta Salad with Tofu, Olives and Basil
Lentil Salad with Edamame, Carrots and Pecans
Garlic-Lemon Tahini Sauce
Directions
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Cook the quinoa in a cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for 12 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, but leave the cover on and let sit for 10 minutes. The quinoa should be ready after this.
Spoon about 3/4 cup of quinoa into the bottom of each jar, and then cover with the rest of the ingredients in layers, starting with the beans, then the corn, etc.
Add the dressing just before you're ready to eat. Close the jar, shake well to coat, and serve.
Pasta Salad with Tofu, Olives and Basil
Cook the pasta in a large quantity of boiling salted water, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Put about 3/4 cup of the pasta into the bottom of each mason jar, then layer the rest of the ingredients, starting with the olives, then the cucumbers, etc.
Add the dressing just before you're ready to eat. Close the jar, shake well to coat, and serve.
Lentil Salad with Edamame, Carrots and Pecans
Cook the lentils in 2 and a half times their volume of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Spoon about 3/4 cup of the lentils into the bottom of each mason jar. Layer the rest of the ingredients, starting with the carrots, then the edamame, etc.
Add the dressing just before you're ready to eat. Close the jar, shake well to coat, and serve.
Garlic-Lemon Tahini Sauce
Put the tahini in a bowl. Add the water and mix with a whisk or a spoon. At first the tahini will harden and seem like it won't absorb the water, but keep mixing and it will turn into a smooth sauce. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and mix.
The sauce will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. If it becomes too thick, add a little water.