Salads, Desserts & Lunch: 5 Healthy Mason Jar Recipes You Must Try

Mason jars are inherently useful and versatile. While most of us use them to store food and serve drinks, they can also be used to carry food to work. They are easy to carry, clean and make your food look visually appealing.

What’s not to like?

Here are some recipes for quick meals you can make in your mason jar. But, before we begin, keep these ingredients ready, so your meals are healthy and preservative-free.

a) Pickle vinaigrette & seasoning sauce: With this dressing, no one can shame you for adding processed sugar to your healthy salad. Made with coconut sugar, fenugreek leaves, coriander leaves, among other organic ingredients, this sauce is your salad’s best friend. Click here to buy it now!

b) Foxtail Millet Pasta: To make your guilty pleasure super healthy. Follow this link to buy a packet.

c) Instant oats: Why stuff yourself with gluten and added sugars when you could begin your day with a healthy dose of oats? Click here to get your pack for a nutritious breakfast.

d) Nut Butters: To add a chocolatey, nutty spread to your jar meals. Get them here.

1) Salad in a jar

Salads are no longer boring, thanks to this mason jar recipe that makes them nutritious, easy to eat and absolutely beautiful to look at. The best part is you can mix and match and choose the quantities of ingredients as per your taste.

Ingredients:

• Pickle vinaigrette sauce (dressing)
• Quinoa, chickpeas, tofu, chia seeds, beans (proteins)
• Cucumbers, tomatoes/ cherry tomatoes, onions, corn (all chopped)
• Iceberg lettuce and other green leafy vegetables of your choice
• Salt, pepper and oregano to taste.

Directions:

• The first ingredient to go in your mason jar is the dressing. Add sufficient amounts of it.
• Next, add your protein of choice so that they soak in the dressing really well. Chunky ingredients like tofu and soaked chickpeas need to be marinated for a longer time, so it’s a good idea to layer them at the bottom.
• Add vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, corn etc. (pick and choose your favourite). Add salt, pepper and oregano to taste.
• Top these with leafy vegetables and close the jar tightly.
• 5 minutes before you are ready for the meal, tip the jar upside down. Shake the jar a bit, stir the salad with a fork and your nutritious meal is ready!

2) Cold pasta in a mason jar

Who doesn’t love pasta? If the cheese and maida in the steaming hot pasta have you worried about calories, try this healthy cold pasta variety that uses millets in place of wheat and a whole bunch of vegetables to add to the nutrition.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup foxtail millet pasta (boiled)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ¼ onion (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup chickpeas (soaked/ pressure cooked)
• ½ cup olives, mushrooms, jalapenos
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons cheese (grated)
• Salt, pepper and oregano to taste

Directions:

• Add the onions, chickpeas, olives, mushrooms and tomatoes in the mason jar. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and oregano, add the vinegar and oil and shake gently.
• Now add the jalapenos, pasta and cheese. Close the jar.
• Just like the salad, when you are ready to eat, place the mason jar upside down for about five minutes. Stir well and enjoy!

3) Mason jar baked oats

Don’t have the time to prepare and eat breakfast before work? We got you. This simple recipe can be easily carried along, and you can eat it on the way, or as soon as you reach office.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup instant oats (soaked)
• ⅓ cup milk (dairy, almond, soy, all work well)
• ¼ cup curd
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon organic honey
• 1 teaspoon peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
• Berries and fresh sliced fruits

Directions:

• Add the soaked oats, curd and milk in the jar—strictly in that order.
• Add the chia seeds and peanut butter. Top it with honey.
• When you are ready to eat it, stir the mixture well, add the fruits and enjoy.
• You can make 6-7 jars at a time. Keep them in the refrigerator and take one jar to work every day of the week.

However, make sure the fruits are added only minutes before you have the oatmeal.

4) Oat Groats in a jar

This breakfast jar is a power punch of nutrition to keep you active all day long. Additionally, oat groats are for anyone looking for a gluten-free meal.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup groats (soaked for 3-4 hours)
• ¾ cup almond milk (get it here)
• 1 banana, sliced
• Other fresh fruits of your choice
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey (or any other sweetener you prefer)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Add all the ingredients in a mason jar (except the fresh fruits). Mix them well and refrigerate overnight.
• When you’re hurrying for office the next day, just chop fresh fruits in the jar mix well and eat!
• You can also top it with dry fruits and nuts for added protein.

5) Chocolate dessert in a jar

Let’s take a break from all the healthy recipes and eat a delicious chocolate dessert in a mason jar. Sweets tend to taste better in the jar where they can retain their aroma and taste, unlike an open dessert.

Ingredients:

• 4 chocolate/ vanilla cream cookies
• 50 grams of cream cheese
• 1 cup peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Whipped cream, chocolate bars, sprinkles etc. as toppings

Directions:

• Grind the cookies in a blender. Set aside.
• Pour the cream cheese and peanut butter in a large bowl, beat it until it mixes perfectly and gets a smooth texture.
• Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat it again.
• In a mason jar, add the first layer of ground cookies, top it with the peanut butter mousse followed by the whipped cream. Repeat until the jar is full.
• Top it up with chocolate bars, sprinkles and more whipped cream.
• Enjoy!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Sources:

The Girl on Bloor.
Good Housekeeping.
Family Food on the Table.
Citron Limette.
Mr Food.

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