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Burrito Bowl Mason Jar Salads

From: strictlydelicious.com Yield: 5 salads in 1 pint-sized mason jar salad

For the quinoa:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice and zest of one lime, or 2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the chicken:
2 large chicken breasts
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
For the bacon: (optional)
2 pieces of thick cut bacon
For the sweet potatoes:
1 large sweet potato, washed, with both ends cut off
1 tablespoon residual bacon oil or coconut oil
Other ingredients:
3 cups chopped lettuce
5 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the quinoa:

Add the quinoa, water, and salt to a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When it has reached a boil, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the quinoa is soft and fluffy.

Set the quinoa aside to cool.

When it has cooled, add the lime juice, lime zest, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro to the rice and stir to evenly distribute the ingredients. Taste, and add more lime or cilantro as needed.

For the chicken:

Dry off both chicken breasts thoroughly with paper towels, and season both sides of each breast using the 2 teaspoons of salt.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot.

Add the chicken breasts to the hot skillet, and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Both sides should have a pretty brown sear to them.

When the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through, remove them to a cutting board to cool. Once they've cooled, cut the chicken into small chunks, about 1/2 square inch each.

For the bacon:

If you're going to add bacon to your salad, cook 2 slices of bacon as you normally would, until it is crispy enough to crumble. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon fat for the sweet potatoes.

For the sweet potatoes:

Cut up the sweet potato into tiny chunks, about 1/2 square inch each.

Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon fat (or, if you didn't use bacon, coconut oil) in your large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the sweet potato cubes. Sear the potatoes on all sides, stirring every 3-5 minutes.

When the potatoes have all browned on the outside, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook the sweet potatoes until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the salads:

When all ingredients have cooled, you can begin to assemble your burrito bowl salads. Add 1 tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt to the bottom of each pint-sized wide mouth mason jar.

Top with about 2 tablespoons of sweet potato cubes.

On top of the sweet potatoes, add 3-4 tablespoons of the cilantro lime quinoa.

Layer 1-2 tablespoons of cheese over the quinoa, a little less than half a piece of bacon over the cheese, and a layer of chicken over the bacon. (To make this vegetarian, substitute 1 can of rinsed beans for the chicken and bacon and add a layer of beans here.)

Fill the remaining space in the mason jar with lettuce, and sprinkle some additional chopped cilantro on top before screwing on the lid.

Super Mason Jar 'Salads'

From: strictlydelicious.com Serves 6

Kale: 2 heads kale
2 c. water
1 tbl. olive oil
2 tsp. salt

Beets: 6 beets (I used golden beets)
2 tbl. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Sweet potatoes: 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
1/2 c. water

Brussels sprouts: 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Quinoa: 1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt

Dressing: 1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lime juice
2 tbl. Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme

Kale: Wash all the leaves of kale, and remove the stems.

Add washed leaves, water, olive oil, and salt to a large pot. Cook over medium heat until leaves have changed color and are cooked through, stirring occasionally. Drain any excess water that may remain, and set the kale aside to cool.

Beets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut each of the beets into small chunks, about 1/2 square inch each. Toss the beet pieces in olive oil and salt, and spread in an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes.

Sweet potatoes: Wash the sweet potatoes and dry them with a paper towel. Cut each one into chunks the same size as the beets. Add to a small pot with the water and set on a burner over medium-low heat. Cook until the pieces can be easily pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Brussels sprouts: Cut each of the Brussels sprouts into quarters. In a large bowl, toss the quartered sprouts with the olive oil and salt until they are thoroughly coated. Spread in a single, even layer on a foil covered baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Quinoa: Add the quinoa, water, and salt to a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the burner down to medium heat and continue cooking until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water and is soft and fluffy, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Dressing: While waiting for all of your veggies to cool, add the olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, oregano, and thyme to a mason jar. Screw on the lid tightly and shake well until all ingredients are mixed. Divide the dressing evenly among six jars, just under 2 tablespoons in each one.

Once all of your ingredients have cooled, layer your mason jar salads. Put the stronger veggies at the bottom, then your grains, and your greens at the top.

When you’re ready to eat, these delicious “salads” can be served either hot or cold. They can be either eaten from the jar or emptied into a bowl. Just top with Parmesan cheese when serving and enjoy!

28 Ways to Dress a Grain Bowl

From: bonappetit A good grain bowl is only as good as its add-ins. Give your quinoa, bulgur, farro, rice, and barley the love it deserves with these 28 healthy and easy toppings, mix-ins, and dressings. Sweet and savory grain bowl nirvana, straight ahead!

Tomato + Shaved Raw Cabbage + Mint + EVOO + Red Wine Vinegar
This works especially well with bulgur for a tabbouleh-like salad

Thinly-Sliced Kale + Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette + Grated Radish + Grated Carrot
Dress the raw kale first, and let it sit for half an hour before composing the grain bowl.

Crème Fraîche + Blackberries + Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t have crème fraîche? Sour cream will do the trick nicely.

Chopped Ginger + Steamed Beets + Fresh Goat Cheese
Mix the ginger in with the cheese first, for a little heat in every bite.

Bonito Flakes + Wakame + Sesame Seeds
Any variety of seaweed would work here, including arame and kelp.

Pesto + Cherry Tomatoes + Fresh Basil + Shredded Parm
Add the basil at the last minute, so it doesn’t wilt and oxidize.

Stir-Fried or Grilled Shrimp + Crispy Shallots + Fresh Cilantro
Packing this for lunch? Just make extra shrimp for dinner, and pack them cold the next day.

Toasted Walnuts + Chopped Apple + Fresh Arugula
No one would protest if you tossed a handful of raisins in here, too.

Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms + Fish Sauce + Toasted Sesame Oil
Cook the mushrooms over high heat, and don’t crowd the pan—that’s how you get crispy, not soggy ‘shrooms.

Pan-Fried Tofu + Wilted Bok Choy + Turmeric Tahini Dressing
This dressing will change your life. Seriously.

Chopped Preserved Lemon + Fresh Dill + Plain Yogurt
A little preserved lemon goes a long way!

Poached Egg + Sliced Scallion + Sriracha
Prefer things on the sunny side? Fry your egg, instead.

Lime Juice + Zest + Fish Sauce + Honey + Toasted Seeds + Mint + Cilantro
Inspired by the flavors of Pad Thai, this is a healthier lunchtime option.

Black Beans + Avocado + Cholula
Use canned black beans to make this fast, fast, fast. This combination is great on black and wild rice.

Pomegranate Seeds + Microgreens + Roasted Squash
Tender herbs, like tarragon, parsley, chervil, and mint are a good substitute for the greens.

Chopped Dates + Toasted Coconut Chips + Walnut Oil
Be sure to buy unsweetened coconut, because the dates are quite sweet.

Kimchi + Scrambled Egg
Pull the scrambled eggs off the heat just before they’re finished cooking—they will add a custardy texture to the grains.

Black Pepper + Strawberries + Balasmic Vinegar
This is the perfect opportunity to break out the “good” aged bottle of balsamic.

Mustard Greens + Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette + Sunflower Seeds
Raw mustard greens can be super spicy—temper them with a sweet dressing and rich, buttery-tasting seeds.
Roasted Sweet Potato + Chile Oil + Shaved Chives
You can infuse your own oil with this recipe.

Grated Raw Zucchini + Red Pepper Flakes + Grated Pecorino Romano + EVOO Like your favorite simple pasta, in grain bowl form. Recipe here Shredded Chicken + Pickled Veggies
This is the moment your rotisserie chicken has been waiting for.

Almond Butter Vinaigrette + Cress + Fresh Cherries
Using almond butter to emulsify a vinaigrette doesn’t just make it creamy, it tempers the spiciness of the cress.

Crispy Tempeh + Gochujang + Fried Garlic
Flavor wimps need not apply.

Sliced Cold Steak + Lemon Zest + Grated Parm + Arugula
Use baby arugula for a milder flavor, or mature arugula for a more peppery bite. Tear it into pieces if it’s very large.

Crispy Chickpeas + Shredded Romaine + Red Wine Vinaigrette + Chopped Fresh Asparagus
Use tender asparagus spears, and you won’t have to cook them. Also great for snacking AND grain bowls.

Charred Corn + Cotija Cheese + Lime Zest + Cilantro
Like elote? This grain bowl has your name all over it. Try it with brown rice.

Hard Boiled Eggs + Blue Cheese + Crumbled Bacon + Avocado
Everything you love about a killer Cobb Salad, plus healthy whole grains. Win-win.