Quinoa Salad In A Jar: 4 Recipes For The Trendy Mixed Dish

2023 Author: Lynn Laird | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 21:10

The word "quinoa" comes from the Spanish spelling, from the name of the Quechua Indian tribe. The ancient Incas considered the culture to be sacred and called it the “mother of all grains”. Quinoa does NOT contain gluten - good news for people with an intolerance to this ingredient. Indeed, it is no coincidence that the little white seeds are part of a number of effective regimes to find the line. There's a good reason to include them in your diet in the form of a quinoa risotto, quinoa patties, quinoa porridge, or a jarred quinoa salad that you can carry and eat anywhere.

4 quick-to-make quinoa salad recipes for any occasion

Quinoa is very high in nutrients that the body desperately needs. These include protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, iron, zinc, potassium, copper, B vitamins, as well as small amounts of calcium and vitamin E. To recharge your body with all these useful micronutrients and to get in shape quickly, eat salads containing this cereal more often. We offer you 4 of our favorite recipes for any season.

Quinoa salad in a jar - a packed lunch and a healthy, quick dinner

If you have to reheat your lunch in the microwave at work, you know metal containers and some plastic boxes just don't work. The most convenient and quick solution is to fill a mason jar with your favorite ingredients, including the quinoa superfood. It is indeed an extremely easy and fun mission which results in an attractive and intelligent meal. 5 minutes and lunch for the whole family is already packed.

Photo credit: crazyinspiredlife.com

If you work until late at night and don't have time to prepare complicated dishes for the family dinner, you can always pull a fresh jarred salad out of the fridge and save precious minutes. In case feeding your children healthy food is important to you, this is the easiest and most reasonable choice you can make.

How to arrange a salad in a mason jar so that it is not soggy?

The key to a good layered salad in a pot that stays fresh all week is the order of arrangement of its components. All you need to remember is this rule: keep wet ingredients away from green vegetables. This means that things like salad dressing, chopped tomatoes, sauces, guacamole, etc. go to the bottom of the pot and the greens go to the very top of the pot, with a pad of other ingredients in the middle. This way, if you keep the jar upright, everything stays in its place. Not a soggy lettuce leaf in sight!

How long do mason jar salads last in the refrigerator?

The ingredients you use in your salad will affect the shelf life in the refrigerator. For example, a salad made only with dressing and vegetables will easily last 7-10 days. The truth is, towards the end of this period, your lettuce might look "rusty" from exposure to ethylene, but it is quite safe to eat.

When animal products like meat and cheese are added to the mix, you need to take a closer look at 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

When you use sliced fruit in your pot, you get the least amount of storage time, so don't make an apple and quinoa salad, for example, more than three days in advance.

How do you actually eat a jarred quinoa salad?

It's definitely a bit difficult to eat a salad straight from the jar. The easiest method is to empty the contents into a plate or bowl. You can try to shake the salad in the jar but if the ingredients are arranged tightly, you won't really get a good distribution.

Additional Tips for Making Fresh, Crunchy, Healthy Mason Jar Salads That Will Last All Week in the Refrigerator

1. Liquid ingredients at the bottom, green at the top.
2. Store the salad compounds close to close to keep them from moving.
3. Use the refrigeration time to your advantage by marinating foods in dressing. The cooked cereals, the tofu, the chicken, the beans, they will all absorb some of the flavor of the sauce.
4. Keep your jar upright.
5. Label your jars! You will really want to keep track of what is in your salads and when they were made.

Moroccan quinoa salad with a creamy curry sauce prepared in a jar

Salad ingredients

• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ½ cup grated carrot
• ½ cup of golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• ½ cup toasted and chopped pecans
• ¼ tablespoon of salt
• arugula (optional)

Sauce ingredients

• ½ cup of mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon of curry
• 4 tablespoons chopped canned apricots
• ½ squeezed lemon
• ¼ tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Curry sauce

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa in water and drain.
2. Bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat, place the lid on and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
4. Reserve until cool.
5. Once cool, store all the ingredients in the pot, starting with the desired amount of sauce.
6. Finally, garnish with fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Serve the salad on a plate

Prepare the sauce

Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix on high speed until well combined.

Strawberry Spinach Quinoa Salad in a Jar

Ingredients

Salad

• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 6 cups of spinach
• 2 cups of sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup diced red onion

Chicken

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• fresh ground pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. Let cool.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, preheat the oven to 220 ° C. In a small baking sheet, combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Place the chicken breasts in, turning them to coat them with the liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
4. Assemble the salad in a jar, arranging the components in the following order: dressing, chicken, quinoa, berries, feta, red onion and spinach.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
6. To serve: stir the contents of the pot in a large bowl.

Note: It is recommended to soak strawberries in 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water to keep them fresher longer. Rinse and let dry on a towel before placing in the jars.

Quinoa, chicken and berry salad with sweet and sour sauce in a jar

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 450 g boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ½ teaspoon of dried oregano

For the sweet and tangy sauce

• 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of raspberry jam
• salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup strawberries cut into wedges
• ½ cup of blueberries
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1 avocado, diced
• ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds
• 2 to 4 cups of arugula

Instructions

1. Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Let stand for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa. For this purpose, add 1 1/2 cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for exactly 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for another 5 to 10 minutes. Separate the quinoa seeds with a fork. Set aside.
3. While the quinoa cooks, chop all the ingredients for your salad.
4. Next, prepare your raspberry sauce. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
5. When ready to prepare the chicken, preheat the grill to medium high heat. Lightly oil the grill. Grill the chicken breasts for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until the juices run clear and the chicken is no longer pink. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a cutting board and cut into small pieces.
6. Prepare the potted salads by distributing the ingredients evenly among 4 large mason jars in the following order: sauce, strawberries, cooked quinoa, blueberries, chicken, goat cheese, avocado, arugula, almonds.
7. When ready to serve, pour the contents of the Mason jar on a plate or in a bowl and enjoy!

Quinoa, shrimp and vegetable salad with lemon sauce to prepare in a jar

Ingredients for the sauce

• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• a handful of fresh dill
• a handful of fresh parsley (optional)

Ingredients for the salad

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa
• 900 g grape tomatoes
• 2 large cucumbers
• 1 to 2 cups of dried tomatoes and peppers
• 1 cup of feta cheese

Instructions

Sauce: Combine all ingredients until smooth.

Quinoa: Cook quinoa according to package directions. Let cool.

Build your beautiful pots: In each pot, spread a little sauce, tomatoes, quinoa, cucumbers, dried peppers and feta. Store sealed jars in the refrigerator for up to 4 days!

Serve: When you are ready to serve, empty the pot into a bowl. Stir to combine.

* Sources: wholefully.com

Moroccan Quinoa Salad Recipe with Creamy Curry Sauce, Prepared in a Jar - crazyinspiredlife.com

Strawberry spinach quinoa salad recipe in a jar - sweetpeasandsaffron.com

Quinoa, Chicken and Berry Salad Recipe with Sweet and Sour Sauce in a Jar - ambitiouskitchen.com

Quinoa, shrimp and vegetable salad recipe with lemon sauce, prepared in a jar - pinchofyum.com