All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Thursday, August 7, 2014

roasted and fresh veggie salad-in-a-jar



I must be the last person to jump on the In A Jar bandwagon, but I'm sold on these salads in a jar.  After my daughter and her family moved away, my mealtime (what mealtime?) habits slid into opening the door of the fridge and grabbing some smoked turkey.  Sugar snaps straight off the vine in the garden.  A banana in the morning, waiting for my coffee to brew.  Pathetic.  So when I saw this, and this, and this on Pinterest, I thought I'd try them:  open the fridge and there's lunch (or dinner).

First you need wide mouth Mason jars, which can be found at any supermarket or grain store.  Make sure they're very clean and very dry.

When I was cleaning out the freezer, I came across a huge bag of colored peppers I'd prepped and frozen after finding them on sale.  I spread them on a cookie sheet, drizzled a little olive oil over them, and roasted at 400F for half an hour.  I went out to the garden and picked sugar snaps and green beans, trimmed and sliced into bite size pieces, then did a quick blanching in simmering water, then a cold water bath.

Fresh cherry tomatoes on hand were a little big, so I quartered them.  I also grabbed a can of light tuna fish in water:   if you can find the Italian tuna in oil, even better!  I also rinsed a can of cannelini white beans and added a layer of those - next time I would double it - they are delicious.

After carefully layering everything, I drizzled a few tablespoons of vinaigrette over, then screwed on the top and stuck in the fridge.  Bliss!  That night I had it for supper (on a platter), and the next day for a very late lunch.  Sooo much better than giving in to a box of Cheez-its and another cup of coffee.  

The vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, peeled and gently smashed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
a few pinches kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
a little dijon mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
Minced fresh herbs or dried herbs:  tarragon, basil, oregano, parsley

If you're brown-bagging it, this is such a great idea - and for picky kids or children on special diets, this is brilliant, though a non-breakable container is probably a good idea for school lunches - don't forget the fork.

Hope you're having a wonderful August!  



3 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

And cute..so it feels like a special treat..which you deserve..
I remember when my husband traveled and was gone for a couple of nights..
I could eat cereal or popcorn for dinner:)
One time it was 5 days.I made a batch of French onion soup the day before..then I ate it every night :)
We're different on our own.
Now I think I would do what you did..salads..etc..you need GOOD food !
I know..the inspiration is not the same..but I do believe we need nutrition..
Funnily enough I know people well into their 80's..on their own..who ..one in particular has never eaten well..smoked..etc..
He'll be 90 and he is an inspiration!
We never know do we?

katrina said...

You are so on the mark, Nana! We revert to our single past, though I am much, much better about eating fresh food these days. I would feel like a hypocrite if I didn't, after all the lectures I've given friends and children - and grandchildren.
But simply putting food in a jar makes it kind of festive, like a present:) Your friend reminds me of a delightful man I met, then in his mid 80's who was in a wheelchair with some sort of neurological disease, I think - and he said, very proudly "I don't eat anything green." He lived into his late 90's!

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