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salad in a jar Q/A and my kitchen wall :)

 

 many questions have been asked since i posted my salad picture yesterday and while i don't have the monopoly on answers ;) i will answer to my experience and what i did to make these salads THM workable. 

Q.  how long do they last?

  • i have had these last up to 2 weeks.  i do think packing them tightly is what keeps them so fresh.  the other trick is to keep your dressing as far away from your greens as possible.  i actually like doing this so much more than daily preparing a salad, because once i have thought and planned, i don't have to think again on my meal choice, either for lunch or when the rest of the family wants something NOT THM friendly.  it also makes the greens last MUCH longer than when they are in their bulk containers.

Q.  what kind of jars and where do you get them?

  • i kinda covered this in my first post about these little gems.  i use mason or ball jars.  i have also used walmart brand.  they are canning/jelly jars.  they are in the area with storage/canning supplies or pickling supplies.  i have found them at target, walmart, true value stores and grocery stores.  i use mason jars for EVERY. STINKIN. THING. so i have them lying around.  i don't like the metal rings as they rust easily and there are 2 parts to keep up with.  the plastic lids can be found in the same section with the jars.  this is a great time to stock up on them because with the gardening season comes canning season. but any jar with a lid will do.  i have tried these with plastic containers but the salads just don't last as long.  these jars are the widemouth pint and quart.  

Q.  do you have to seal them, vacuum pack, etc? 

  • nope

Q.  what kind of protein do i use?

  • again, i covered this a bit in my last post but i keep getting questions.  i use chicken, turkey (either cooked at home or deli meat--boars head without fillers, sugars, etc.)  i have used ground beef as taco meat.  one of my favorites is to buy a package of salami and pepperoni and chop that up and make it an italian type salad.  i will usually take a boiled egg with me to put on top as there is barely room for anything else and taking an egg is not a big deal.  

Q. what kind of dressings?

  • i typically make my own but the creamy one in the photo is one i found at whole foods.  its a white cheddar and doesn't have all the junk most dressings have.

Q.  what other salads can you make?

  • again, i found these on pinterest.....you can too!  if you don't eat THM, its your choice.  if you do follow the THM plan, find a recipe you like and just substitue or leave out what makes it not on plan for you.  i typically do well with a cross over meal tossed in frequently, so i just make sure the ingredients are still on plan.


any more questions?  i am happy to answer what i know and what i don't, i will make up and act like i know ;)


oh...and my wall, LOL....i may have gotten more questions about this than the jars.  as  you can see its in need of some TLC, but when we moved in this house, it was VERY 90's with floral wallpaper EVERYWHERE.  we had just moved from a 100 year old victorian and i wanted to keep my stuff and the look.  i wanted my kitchen to look like a farm house/kitchen.  we decided to keep the wall paper and paint over it to 1) save money and 2) keep the smooth walls.  I LOVE IT.  i have several kitchen gadgets from flea markets and my grandma and also decided to hang my cast iron skillet.  voila.  nothing spectacular but its mine and i love it.