Mason Jar Rainbow Summer Salads

 Mason Jar Rainbow Summer Salads

Do you need a colorful, quick and easy salad for your mid-week meal prep? I think I have you covered.

This salad just screams summer and we have been happily munching it for lunch every day this week.

Here's the recipe.. I hope you'll try it for your mid-week meal prep!! :)

Put the below ingredients in the Quart sized Mason jar >>> Make sure you follow this order: the dressing needs to be on the bottom so the lettuce stays crisp!

-1T T. Marzetti Simply Dressed Strawberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette

-4-5 grape-sized tomatoes whole

-1/3 cup blueberries

-1/3 cup cut-up Strawberries

-1/3 cup mandarin oranges

-1/2 cup diced yellow peppers

-1/2 cup of blanched or grilled asparagus diced

-1/2 cup grilled or rotisserie chicken diced,

and then fill the remaining jar with

-mixed lettuce leaves.

Store in the fridge till ready to eat.

When ready to eat turn the jar upside down and shake to disperse dressing.

Eat right from the jar or pour it into a bowl.

Enjoy!

Superfood Sunday: Rose Hips

<<< Superfood Sunday: Rose Hips >>

What are free radicals?
They are generated by oxidation reactions. Antioxidants inhibit oxidation. When in balance, they’re both good things and necessary for a number of biological processes. Unfortunately, a number of 21st century issues, including lousy diet and stress, can promote free radicals, causing an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidant levels. Consuming antioxidants helps bring balance back, helping to fight free radical damage and helping support a healthy immune system. Vitamins A, C, and E are known antioxidants. And so is today’s featured featured superfood:
Rose Hips!

Health benefits of rose hips include:

~reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
~relieve various respiratory conditions
~prevent cancer
~lower cholesterol
~manage diabetes
~ regulate your digestive system
~boost the immune system,
~increase circulation
~help in building stronger bones.

Vitamins/Minerals:
~vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and B-complex, calcium, iron, selenium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, silicon, and zinc … which definitely packs quite a punch of nutrients!!

Rose hips are actually the fruit of the rose plant and usually form in late summer and autumn, after the rose plant has been pollinated. Once the rosebud falls off, many people forget about roses, but the fruit of the plant is yet to come! They are some of the most nutritionally packed fruits on the planet.

Rose Hips is one of the ingredients in the Proprietary Super-Fruit/Antioxidant Blend in my Shakeology that I love & drink daily.  And I’ll tell you what: I have been traveling in New Orleans these past few days and having Shakeology in my daily diet has helped me IMMENSELY, as we have been eating out and getting minimal sleep and it gives me the boost of nutrients I need to get through the day.

Are you curious if Shakeology could possibly help your nutrition?? I'd love to share more with you :)

*For more information on other superfood ingredients in Shakeology you can see my past Super Food Saturday posts in my Pinterest library: https://www.pinterest.com/trishzelenak/super-foods/

Blueberry Pecan Banana Oat Muffins

Let’s talk about baked goods for a moment. I love them. But…

they are often loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Treats are great, but too many can often lead to conditions like obesity and diabetes if we are not careful. I definitely aim for balance in my life and treat myself… but 90% of the time I like to have healthy baked goods on hand so I can satisfy the part of my brain that wants to reach for the cookies.

These muffins are low in sugar and packed with fiber from the oats.  I love packing them as quick snacks for the kids when we have busy days and you can feel good about what you are eating because they aren’t loaded with fake ingredients. Plus, they are seriously EASY to whip up. You can add any fruit you have on hand, but I love the blueberry pecan combination. Although I think peach or cherry would be a great summer flavor to try!!

Do try these and let me know what you think!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Blend Dry Ingredients:

~2 Cups whole oats

~1/2 tsp salt

~1/2 tsp baking soda

~1/2 tsp baking powder

2. Pour dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl

3. Blend Wet Ingredients:

~2 ripe bananas

~1 cup plain greek yogurt

~1 egg

~2T honey

~1tsp vanilla

3. Pour Wet Ingredients into dry and combine

4. Fold in:

~1 pint of washed blueberries (I use fit fruit wash)

~1/4 crushed pecans

5. Spray a 12 count muffin pan with olive oil or coconut oil spray. Spoon in batter until each

muffin is about ¾ full. This will ensure that the muffin puffs up over the top giving

it a nice muffin top.

6. Put one whole Pecan on top of each muffin.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Muffins are finished when a knife

inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy!