How to make a Salad Pot

 

With spring being here I thought it would be fun today to share some of my ideas for making delicious salad pots. During the warmer months I love eating salads and when I used to work outside the home or was going to school, I would often take a salad with me in the form of a salad pot.

Of course, you could just pick up a readymade salad at the shops, but it is so much more fun to make your own salad for your lunch. That way you can truly make it your own, a "Signature Salad" as it were, using the things that you enjoy the most!

There is no wrong or right about the process really. Salad pots are simply a mix of your favorite salad ingredients layered in a jar.  Do you remember the old layered salads that were so popular at Potlucks for many, many years?

Layers of lettuce, peas, cheese, macaroni (sometimes) bacon, etc. all layered in a pan and topped with a rich sour cream dressing. Very easy to make ahead and quite delicious.

This is a variation on that theme but on a much smaller scale. Easily done, perfectly portable and most delicious. You just simply layer everything in a good-sized jar with a lid that is large enough to hold your salad.

  

First of all you will want a hearty base for your salad pot. This can be cooked rice, millet, quinoa, couscous barley, buckwheat. potatoes, pasta, cooked legumes such as chickpeas or beans of some sort, or lentils.

You can use pre-cooked packets of the rice, or tins of cooked chickpeas, beans or lentils. Or you can specifically cook your own for this purpose.

Today I used couscous that I stirred some chopped dried apricots and currants through. I also added a touch of cinnamon for a bit of zest.

 

If you are using a cooked pasta, you may want to toss it with a bit of oil or a bit of the dressing to keep it from sticking together in a clump.

You can add a layer of protein if you wish in the way of cooked chicken or meat, shrimps, tuna, salmon, etc.  Note that in this case you will want to store the salad in a refrigerator if possible.

You could also add a layer of frozen vegetables which would help to keep them cool. something such as frozen peas or corn would work perfectly.  Add them frozen. Do not thaw.

Chopped boiled egg also makes a nice layer of protein, as does grated cheese. Make sure that this protein layer goes well with the other ingredients in your salad.

Remember you want to use flavors and textures that work well together.

 

On top of your base layer, aside from protein you will want to add some kind of vegetable layer.  Today I used grated raw zucchini, which not only added color, but some crunch.

You could also use grated cabbage or carrot, which would add crunch and color.  This is meant to be pretty and appealing to the eye. Its your lunch after all!

 

You could follow that with even more layers of vegetables for color, crunch and flavor.  Today I added some red radishes and halved cherry tomatoes.  There is no wrong. Cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, slivered green beans, broken broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

I also added some broken pitted Castelvetrano Olives for a lovely buttery taste.  You could use any kind of olive you wish. Kalamata are nice.  Capers are also nice. Especially if you have used tuna in one of the layers.

You will want to add a final layer of salad leaves or herbs on the top. Any kind of lettuce will do. Romaine is nice as is iceberg.  Today I used a mix of rocket and spinach. (Baby arugula) Spring mix is lovely as are mixed sprouts, or a combination of any of these. 

Putting them at the top of the salad helps to prevent them from wilting under the weight of the other ingredients. You simply mix them in when you are ready to eat.  I added a chopped spring onion today as well. 

Note, it is advisable to bring a bowl to toss the salad together in and a fork to eat the salad with. This can be a disposable or one that you use specifically for that purpose. Or if you have a large enough jar, you can simply add the dressing and toss/shake everything together as desired.

You can bring your salad dressing in a separate jar ready to give a good shake and drizzle over your salad as and when you go to eat it. This can be a delicious homemade dressing (see below) or a portion of your favorite store purchased dressing.

These Salad Pots make for a wonderful change and delicious alternative from the traditional sandwich and are really a lot of fun to put together. The world really is your oyster when it comes to these.

I really hope you will be inspired to give them a go and I can't wait to hear what you come up with! Drop me a line in the comments section bel to share!

 

With it now being Spring, we will soon be enjoying fresh salads on a regular basis. Here are a few others that you might enjoy!

CHICKEN TACO SALAD - This is a real favorite salad.  I love taco salads of any kind, but they can often be loaded with fat and calories.  This is a low fat version composed of plenty of tasty coated chicken pieces, loads of vegetables, crisp lettuce, baked tortilla crisps and a zesty Tex Mex spicy dressing to drizzle over top.  

TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND SALAD - With its delicious sweet and sour poppyseed dressing, this salad is a really winning combination of cooked shredded turkey, tangy sour cherries, farfalle (bowtie) pasta, and blue cheese crumbles.  Serve on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce which adds an additional layer of crispness.

Author: Marie Rayner

Delicious Salad Dressings

Cook time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Here is an assortment of delicious Vinaigrette Salad Dressing ideas. There is something for everyone! You will only need about 2 TBS of dressing per salad pot.

Ingredients

Coconut, Lime & Chili:

• 1 TBS finely grated lime zest
• 1 TBS fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp finely minced green chili
• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1 TBS chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• 1/2 cup (120ml) coconut cream
• coconut water as needed to thin out
• salt and black pepper to taste

Pomegranate Molasses:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) pomegranate molasses
• 1/4 cup (60ml) boiling water
• 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pesto Dressing:

• 4 TBS prepared pesto (red or green)
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 3 TBS water

Honey Lemon vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) liquid honey
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp grainy mustard
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

Basic French Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) good quality red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup (600ml) water
• 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
• 3/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup (120ml) of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (120ml) good quality olive oil

Instructions

1. Basically, for all of the dressings, measure all of the ingredients for each dressing into a screw top jar large enough to hold them. Screw the lid on tightly and give them a good shake to emulsify.
2. Store in the refrigerator, covered. Bring to room temperature and give them a good shake prior to using.
3. Those using fresh ingredients such as pesto or fresh garlic, chilis, ginger, etc. will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Others will keep for two to three weeks.

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