Mason Jar Salads with Avocado Salad Dressing

By LindeNo1

There is no excuse not to have a healthy, tasty salad for lunch at work anymore. It is a lot of chopping, but one day of prep will give you days and days of lunch at the ready! No need to waste those ripe avocados, either... make this dressing, it keeps very nicely in the refrigerator. You can make these salads on Sunday and have lunch ready for the rest of the week!!

Ingredients

• Sturdy veggies I use:
• Salad Greens
• Butter Lettuce
• Romaine
• Red Leaf
• Green Leaf
• Radicchio
• Arugula
• Baby Spinach
• Whatever you like!
• Avocado Dressing
• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 2 cloves of garlic
• juice of one medium, fresh lemon
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
• Start chopping! You can use any combination of fresh veggies that you prefer.
• Onions, sliced very thin
• Carrots, grated or sliced very thin (potato peeler)
• Celery, sliced thinly
• Sweet Bell Peppers, sliced
• Radishes, sliced thinly
• Cucumbers, seeded and chopped
• Mushrooms, quartered
• Seedless Grapes, halved
• Orange Segments
• Chick peas, drained
• Beans, white, black, rinsed and drained
• Broccoli, cut into florets
• Cauliflower, cut into florets
• Steamed Beets, chopped
• Other ingredients to try:
• Artichoke hearts, packed in water - drained, chopped
• Hearts of Palm - sliced
• Apples
• Pomegranates
• Sprouts and shoots
• I have made my salads using the following as well:
• grilled chicken, sliced thinly
• deli turkey
• deli salami
• hard cooked eggs, quartered

Preparation

Step 1

Wash, rinse and dry your favorite salad greens. I use an Oxo Salad Spinner with great results. Tear into bite size pieces and put greens in a LARGE BOWL, set aside.
In a blender, or food processor, (I use my Ninja Blender), scrape the avocados into the blender, add garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, sour cream, Miracle Whip, salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and creamy.
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Have 1-quart WIDE MOUTH mason jars, lids and bands, clean and ready.
The dressing, either the avocado dressing or any dressing of your choice, goes on the bottom of the jar. Use the amount of dressing necessary for a large individual serving. The one thing to remember is to put the most sturdy veggies at the bottom, so the lettuce doesn't come in contact with the dressing. Start layering the chopped veggies of your choice, into the jars. End with the salad greens, about 3 LARGE handfuls. I also grow my own sprouts and I add them right with the greens. Make sure the rims are clean, place lid on jar. If you have a FOODSAVER with the canning jar attachment, use just the lid, no need for band , and seal. If not, place lid and band on jar and tighten. Refrigerate salads; I have had great luck with salads staying fresh using both methods.
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I have added grilled chicken, sliced hard salami, hard cooked eggs to the salads, layering just before the greens with great results. You might not want to add cheese, cukes or tomatoes though, they tend to lose liquid and get mushy. I have used cukes and beets and they released a lot of liquid, (turned my oranges a beautiful shade of red!) however I just poured out the liquid before plating my salad and it was fine!!
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Get creative, mix and match the ingredients you love!!