Pantry Epiphany: Brown baggin’ it

When it comes to what to eat during my lunch break at an elementary school, time is at a premium. The brave might venture off campus to claim fast food options, but by the time they return to campus, they’ve only a few minutes to choke down their meal. Personally, I need time to digest. There is the option of the school’s hot lunch and though this cardboard tray alternative has improved over the years, vegetarian versions still lack appeal. So I am one of those who is happy to brown bag it, or BYOL.

With an abundance of lettuce in my garden right now, a salad seems like a healthy, quick possibility most days. But managing to wash greens, make dressing and add accoutrements at 6:00 in the morning, while managing breakfast, yoga, and general grooming never quite works into the schedule. Thus I have gotten into the habit of creating some salad jars on Sunday night.

No matter what the ingredients are, here is the key, heartier veggies go on the bottom to be spooned with a homemade dressing. Rinsed and dried lettuce goes on top along with any nuts or toppings that you want to stay dry and crisp. Just give it a vigorous shake before eating and you are good to go.

Here is a beet and pear salad recipe.

1 bunch beets, roasted, peeled, and diced (My method for roasting beets is to tuck rinsed beets into a foil packet with a few garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil and cook at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until easily pierced with a fork. Then rub the beets under a stream of cool water until the skins peel off.)

1 pear, skinned and finely chopped

(To keep from browning, I soak the cut pieces in lemon water for a few minutes.)

Mixed greens/ lettuce (rinsed and spun dry in a salad spinner).

Chopped pecans

To assemble, put the beets at the bottom of your jar. Spoon 1-2 tsp of dressing on the beets. Top with pears, then greens, then pecans. This can make between 5-10 jars depending on the size of your jars and the amount of greens you have.