Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad in a Mason Jar with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I absolutely love Thai food.  It is a weakness of mine.  I love the flavor combos of the peanuts, lime, and cilantro.  I was supposed to enjoy some awesome Pad Thai recently but plans changed and I didn't get to.  While I was incredibly disappointed, I knew I would end up making a healthier meal choice by eating at home.  I recently got a vegetable spiralizer from Amazon, so I wanted to see if I could make a spiralized zucchini noodle dish that had some of the Thai flavors I love.

I wanted to bring this for lunch so I decided to try mason jars while I was at it.  Why not?  So on a Sunday morning I got started preparing everything so I would have my lunch for the week.  The end result was a delicious cool and crisp meal that had many of the traditional Thai flavors.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!  Now I just need it to warm up a bit since this would be the perfect lunch on a nice summer day.

The sauce may thicken in the jar, but I promise you as soon as you mix everything together it will be the perfect consistency.  I had so many people eyeing my lunch while enjoying this at the office recently!

Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad

For this recipe, I will use approximations as you can really adjust to your taste and add more of whatever ingredients you enjoy!  The sauce recipe is enough for about 4 jars. 

For the Salad:

Red pepper: ~1/4 cup per jar

Carrots, shredded: ~1 small per jar

Green onions, chopped: ~1 per jar

Red Cabbage, chopped:  ~1/2 cup per jar

Zucchini, spiraled: 1 per mason jar

cilantro, chopped (optional) 

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

1/4 cup (heaping) almond butter (can sub peanut butter)

2 Tablespoons Tamari (or soy)

Juice from 1 lime

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions:

• Prepare sauce by putting all ingredients in a food processor (I use my Nutri Ninja Pro)
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce in each jar (or split evenly among 4)
• Layer: red pepper, carrots, green onion, red cabbage in each jar
• Next add one spriralized zucchini for each jar
• Top with cilantro
• Flip over a few minutes before you plan to eat
• Pour into bowl, mix and enjoy!

Tip:  I would recommend tearing "noodles" after every few inches or so, so you don't have incredibly long noodles!

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Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Dressing

I have been searching for the perfect salad dressing only to be disappointed time and time again.  Since falling in love with my Mason Jar Salads, I have decided to make my own dressing versus using bottled dressings.  The primary reason is they are healthier and that I am trying to follow a higher alkaline diet.

After much frustration I decided to make my own.  I have never done this before so I had no idea what to expect.  As soon as I took the first bite of my salad, I knew this dressing was a keeper.  Just a warning though - this definitely has a kick!   If you are not a fan of spicy foods you can reduce the jalapeno, or even remove it all together.  If you still wanted to add a pepper, you could probably substitute 1/4 of a green pepper.  If you do try this let me know how it goes :)

Jalapeno Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 small jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped (less if you prefer less of a kick)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup lime juice (approximately 1 1/2 limes - see note below on what to do with extra half of lime)
1/2 cup honey (or vegan substitute)
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I love using my NutriNinja Pro for this.  Any food processor or small blender should work though.

• Place the jalapeno and garlic clove in food processor
• Add lime juice and honey
• Add cilantro leaves and lightly puree - you don't want it completely blended in
• Slowly add olive oil to dressing and mix
• Add to salad and enjoy!

Tip:  If you are using this for mason jar salads, this amount should be good for approximately 4-5 salads, depending on how much dressing you prefer.

Bonus Tip:  For mason jar salads, save the extra lime half and mix avocado with the lime juice before putting in mason jars to ensure the avocado will last all week.  Avocados are the perfect addition to a Mexican themed salad with this dressing.

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Mason Jar Salad Lunches

I think the most obvious thing I have learned since becoming a mom is that everything takes longer than it used to.  EVERYTHING.  A simple trip to the bathroom now turns into me begging whichever child to let me have 90 seconds alone in the bathroom.  I somehow never win this battle and end up with one, sometimes two, kids joining me.

I used to be one of the first people to show up for work in the morning.  Used to be.  Now I feel lucky if I am not the last person in the office!  I am fortunate that my office has a nice cafeteria. The good comes with the bad since I fall back on this option way too many times.  Sure it is convenient but that comes at a cost and also usually ends up with me eating a not as healthy as a lunch as I would have brought from home.  Since this is of my greatest working mom tricks I thought it was only appropriate to share this right away.

Mason Jar Salads.  They are a life saver.  I make them on Sunday and they last all week.  That means in the morning when I am struggling to get out the door with two kids I know simply grab a jar from the refrigerator and I have a lunch that is ready to go.  That is it.  These are so versatile.  You can put whatever you want in these - layering is the key.  I will usually try to make my own dressing but that certainly isn't necessary.

Tips for Successful Mason Jars Salads

Proper layering is the key to successfully making mason jar salads.  The last thing you want is soggy spinach (or whatever green you choose to use).  I was very skeptical at first but now rely on these for quick lunches.

Jars:  First things first.  Make sure you have the appropriate sized jar.  I use a pint and a half size mason jars and feel this is a perfect size for lunch.  You can find these at many stores in the food storage section or purchase from Amazon.  You can also use pint sized for side salads or a quart size if you are really hungry!

Layer 1: Dressing

• I use approximately 2 tablespoons of dressing per jar.  It is important that the dressing goes on the bottom.  Again, you can use any type of dressing that you like.  I prefer homemade but store bought are great too and even make these easier!

Layer 2: Hearty Vegetables

• Here is where you want to add in your hearty vegetables that can handle sitting in dressing for a few days.  If you are adding beans (chickpea, black, kidney - anything goes!) or tofu now is your time to add it.  This allows them to soak in the dressing and really take in the flavor
• Some vegetables I like to add are carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green onions, red onion and peas.  Layer them so the heartiest are on the bottom.

Layer 3:  Proteins

• Here is where you will add most proteins.  As mentioned above, if you are adding beans or tofu I recommend adding to the dressing to absorb the flavor.   Other proteins that go well are chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon or quinoa. 

Layer 4:  Delicates

• This is where I add avocado or hard-boiled egg.  If you are adding avocado I recommend first squeezing some lemon or lime juice to keep it from browning.  I have added avocado to the jars  and it makes it 4-5 days (with very slight browning) but if you are leery you can always pack on the side.  Sprouts are also good additions here.

Layer 5:  The Greens!

• Pack those greens in!  I primary use spinach, and a lot of it with some kale, but you can substitute or use any combination you like:  Iceberg, romaine, spinach, kale, cabbage, spring mix, etc. are all good choices.

That's it.  Now put them in the fridge and grab one each morning for a quick, healthy and delicious meal.  When it is time to eat, simply turn over for a few minutes to let dressing mix in and pour onto a plate.

I will certainly be sharing my favorite go-to mason jar recipes as well as new ones that I come up with as I experiment with new ingredients and combinations.  Make sure to follow me on Facebook so you have access to the newest Mason Jar Recipe!

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What is your go-to ingredient for mason jar salads?  I would love to incorporate it into a fun, new creative recipe!

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