Brownbagging Brilliance

In what is probably a sign of early dementia, I did not remember that I actually edited a story about clever uses of Mason jars that included this brilliant idea. (In my defense, I edit 32 issues of five magazines in a year and oversee the creation of another 10. I’m just saying. There are explanations.) Anyways, I was sitting at the dinner table with the roomie (the ever effervescent Brigid) last week when she asked whether I had seen something another friend, Alicia, had posted about creating a salad lunch with Mason jars. I hadn’t but I immediately thought this is brilliant (and I later thought how wonderful we are actually featuring this idea in life@home). And so, a few days later, when I was pondering what to bring to work for lunch, I looked into the (scary) area under the sink where we store a few dozen okay maybe more than that plastic containers and discovered, ohsohappily, a large Mason jar. Creating this portable salad lunch couldn’t be easier. And, in addition to feeling quite smug about your clever lunch, you can also feel good about how healthy it is.

Mason Jar Salads

serves one

ingredients

cut up veggies of your choice and quantity

salad dressing of your choice

method

put a few tablespoons (or whatever) of the dressing of your choice in the bottom of the jar. Next add layers of veggies that will not get soft or soak up the dressing, such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, scallions. Then add the items that might get soggy if they hung out in salad dressing all day (which they won’t obviously) such as lettuce. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Then shake up the jar with the top on  (obviously). And voila! Instant salad. Brilliant.