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! 

Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins

Oat Muffins...Summer edition :)

I decided to tweak my original  strawberry muffin recipe for this week! While I love seeing all the fresh fruit at the grocery store, as the season changes, strawberries don't look as appetizing. Guess what? You can buy freeze dried fruit~strawberries included! The local Kroger I shop at had a bag of strawberry and bananas mixed, so I thought it a perfect addition to my usual blender muffin recipe.

 The fam and I think they are pretty yummy.



I hope you'll try it in your meal prep this weekend.

Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins



Ingredients and Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 12 cup muffin tin with olive oil
cooking spray or line with paper liners, lightly spray them as well, set aside.

2. Blend Dry Ingredients and Set Aside in a bowl:
~2 Cups Whole Oats
~1 tsp baking soda
~1/2 tsp salt

3. Blend these ingredients and then mix into the above ingredients
~1 ripe banana
~2 eggs
~1T Honey
~Two individual containers of Fage Strawberry Greek Yogurt. Scoop in the side car
of strawberry fruit and the yogurt from both containers. You can also use plain Greek yogurt and use 1 tbsp. clean strawberry preserves.

4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients
5. Fold in 3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries and bananas, and spoon evenly into the 12 cup muffin pan.
6. Garnish each muffin with a small banana and strawberry slice. (optional)
7. Drizzle the top of each muffin with a tiny bit of honey.
8. Bake for 18 minutes, until the tops of the muffins set and a toothpick inserted in
the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
9. Remove from the pan and enjoy or store in the fridge and enjoy throughout the
week. *Important to store in fridge as there is greek yogurt and no preservatives in
the ingredients.

Lemon Coconut Chocolate Chip Oat Muffins

I make the same oat muffins every week for meal prep but I wanted to a new twist on them this time :)

I think I've found a real winner with this lemon coconut chocolate chip version! The lemon and coconut adds just the right amount of flavor and they are a nice afternoon "treat"... must better than going through the drive-thru at Starbucks to get a sugary baked good.

Will you try these in your weekend meal prep?!

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients and Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 mini muffin pans  with olive oil
cooking spray or line with paper liners, lightly spray them as well, set aside.

2. Blend Dry Ingredients and Set Aside in a bowl:
~2 Cups Whole Oats
~1 tsp baking soda
~1/2 tsp salt

-1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3. Blend these ingredients and then mix into the above ingredients
~2 ripe bananas
~2 eggs
~2T Honey
~1 tsp real vanilla extract
~1 cup plain Greek yogurt

~Zest and Juice of 1 lemon

4. Divide the batter between 2 prepared mini muffin cups, filling each nearly to the top.
5. Put three to four chocolate chips on top.
6. Bake for 18 minutes, until the tops of the muffins set and a toothpick inserted in
the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
7. Remove from the pan and enjoy or store in the fridge and enjoy throughout the
week.

*Important to store in fridge as there is greek yogurt and no preservatives in
the ingredients.

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!