Mason Jar Greek Salads

 I know, I know...I feel like most people think salads in the winter aren't that great. Maybe it's because salads are "cold", or produce seems out of season...but if they taste GOOD~they're good any time of year! Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of vegetables and lettuce if your usuals are out of season. This recipe uses traditional Greek toppings, (but you can still swap out ingredients to your liking 😊) Enjoy!

 Mason Jar Greek Salads

Put the following ingredients into a quart sized Mason jar in the order listed from the bottom to the top.  Multiply the amount of ingredients by the number of Mason Jar Salads you are making.  We usually make six (three for hubby and three for me).  I have found the salads easily stay fresh for three days after making them. 

~2T Garlic Expressions Dressing 

~1/2 cup of garbanzo beans

~4-6 Grape sized tomatoes

~1-2T of red onion, slivered (based on level of amount of onion you prefer)

~1/3 cup of cucumber, chopped

~1/4 cup of kalamata olives

~2T of feta cheese

~fill remaining jar with lettuce of choice.  

Store in fridge upright until ready to eat.  Shake and eat right from the jar or pop onto a plate.  *While this is a vegetarian recipe, you could easily add 1/2 cup cooked, diced chicken to the bottom of the jar (under the garbanzo beans). Tip: marinate the chicken (or other lean protein) in the Garlic Expressions dressing! 

Watermelon Summer Salad

 

I'll admit, when I first came across this recipe, I thought "those ingredients together don't really sound good"~Boy was I wrong! This is probably one of the most delicious salads I've had all summer. During a small pool party recently I kept going back for seconds...and thirds!  There are still plenty of warm days ahead and watermelons to buy to make this delicious combination! As a plus I already had some fresh basil in my garden :) 

Watermelon Summer Salad

~8 cups cubed seedless watermelon

~1 cup sliced English cucumber (or your favorite type)

~2 oz feta cheese

~zest of 1/2 lemon

~4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

~sea salt for garnish

Cube the watermelon, slice the cucumbers into half moons, chop the basil and zest the lemon.  Arrange the watermelon and cucumbers on a platter. Sprinkle with feta crumbles, lemon zest, basil and sea salt. Taste and adjust the flavors as desired. (For example, you could add freshly ground black pepper or a drizzle of olive oil.)

Serve immediately. Enjoy! 

Mediterranean Quinoa

Can I just say, that I am obsessed with quinoa?

I’ve recently swapped out most of my brown rice stapes for quinoa. I love it because it is packed with protein, contains every amino acid & is particularly rich in lysine, which promotes healthy tissue growth throughout the body. Quinoa is also a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber. LOVE IT!  Plus… You can pick it up at Aldi… which makes me love it that much more.

But this quinoa recipe is especially near & dear to me right now because the weather is warming up and who wants to spend too much time cooking in the hot summer months!? I love this dish because it’s quick to put together for a weeknight dinner and it’s great as a simple side OR you can add chicken or fish to it & make it an even better main course.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

~4 cups quinoa, prepared and cooled

~2 cups cucumber, diced small

~1 cup tomato, diced small

~1 cup kalamata olives, diced small

~1 cup red onion, diced small

~1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

~juice of one large lemon

~1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Enjoy!