Mason Jar Revolution

“Warning: It may change your life entirely. This process is very addictive and may result in tremendous improvement in health and overall happiness.” – Queen of Jars

Jar your meals for entire week

It’s all started with me finding a way to feed myself and my family healthy meals without spending unlimited number of hours in the kitchen, thinking about what I should prepare next, crying over spoiled produce,  multitasking, juggling and feeling guilty about eating something I should not.

Let me ask you a few questions…

Do you want to have prepared healthy food just waiting for you in the fridge for entire week?

Do you want your kitchen surfaces stay clean throughout the week?

Do you want to enjoy cooking and preparing your meals?

Are you trying to lose weight but sabotaging your progress with food that is not on your diet list?

Are you trying to stay away from processed and precooked meals?

Are you committed to stay healthy and heal your body through nutrition?

Are you aware that preparing and eating your food is linked to your wellbeing so much that it can’t be compromised or traded for anything else?

Do you know that you are pouring your energy, your moods, your emotions, and your thoughts into the food when you are preparing your meals?

If you answer yes to any of my questions you may want to read on to benefit from my system.

Although you will need 3 to 5 hrs of dedicated time in the kitchen at once (I do it on Saturday or Sunday morning), you would not mind that at all because it frees up so much of your time during the week.

This is the ritual that will keep you fed and happy for entire week.  Would it be nice to wake up to a clean kitchen and a fridge that contains all your meals prepared in a most delicious and healthy way?

Salad Jars: Know the layers! How long can you keep your salads fresh depends on the layers and order you stack your jars.

1. Dressing
2. Anything that you want to marinate, or already marinated. Onions, papers, Olives, Artichoke, Sun-dried tomatoes, capers, marinated mushrooms and so on. I also like to soak my nuts and seeds in the dressing. I use cashews, almonds, flex seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
3. Add your steam vegetables such as Asparagus or Brussel sprouts.
4. Hearty vegetables layer can include shredded carrots, beets, zucchini, turnip, reddish, celery, tomatoes, leeks, raw cauliflower and broccoli.
5. Accent layer. Adding Legumes: Kidney, Navel, Lima, Garbanzo beans, Lentils, Chickpeas.  You can add some hot sauce like Franks or Tabasco to make your legumes spicy.
6. Sprinkle your avocado with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning. Jars with avocado should be consumed within first 5 days.
7. Add your greens: Spinach, Spring Mix, Arugula, Baby Kale, Iceberg Lettuce, and Romaine.

Dressing Recipes for Salad in a Jar

Olive oil & Aged Balsamic Vinegar: Mix 1/2 Cup of Olive oil and 2 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar, Salt to taste.

Avocado Dressing: Mix in blender 1/2 Avocado, 1/2 cup of Orange Juice, 50mg of Avocado oil, Salt to taste.

Basil & Cashew Dressing: 1/2 cup of Raw Cashews, Fresh Basil 5-10 leaves, 1/2 cup of Olive Oil, 1/2 cup of Water, Salt to taste.

Using different type of oils bring you a variety of flavors and nutritional benefits. Try Flax seed, Hemp seed, Grape seed, Sesame Seed Oil.

Fruit Jars: Strawberries cut or whole, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Papaya, Honeydew, and etc.

Place folded paper towel at the bottom of the jar, wash your fruits and berries, cut the fruits into bite size pieces and store in a jar for up to 10-14 days.

Great in smoothies, as snacks, deserts, in yogurts, with pancakes and waffles, fruit cups to go, school lunches.  

 

Steam Veggie Jars: Asparagus, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Green Beans, Beets, Carrots, Squash

Steam your vegetables slightly so they are hard and keep their form.  Drain any excess of water and store vegetables in separate jars for up to 10 days.

Great for your lunches and dinners, sprinkle with salted herbs, add some cheddar or parmesan cheese, goes nicely with your choice of protein: fish, chicken, turkey or steak.

Soup in a Jar

Chicken Broth, Bone Marrow Broth, Pumpkin, Squash, Zucchini, Asparagus

Also use your jars to keep Juices and Carbs.

Love your healthy habits!