Monday Night Meal: Mediterranean Chickpea Mason Jar Salads

The owner of The Warehouse, Nickie Carrigan is in studio to share a creative dinner for you and your family!

Mediterranean Chickpea Mason Jar Salads

Ingredients:

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons water

Salad Assembly

• 1 small red onion , diced
• 1 English cucumber , chopped
• 5 cups cooked garbanzo beans (1 15-oz. can, drained and rinsed)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes , chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional)
• 1 large head of romaine , chopped

Instructions:

1. Prepare the red wine vinaigrette by adding the oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, maple syrup, water, oregano, salt, and several grinds of black pepper to a small jar with a lid. (I use a small mason jar.) Shake it vigorously to combine.

1. Arrange 4 wide-mouth quart-sized mason jars on your counter for easy salad assembly. Pour 3 tablespoons of the dressing into the bottom of each one. On top of the dressing, add the diced onion, cucumber, beans, cherry tomatoes, feta, and then the lettuce, in that order to avoid soggy vegetables.
2. Secure the lid to make the jars airtight, then store in the fridge until ready to serve for up to 4 days.
3. To serve the mason jar salad, unscrew the lid and pour the contents into a large bowl. Since the dressing is on the bottom, it will pour over the salad last, dressing all of the vegetables. Stir well to coat, then enjoy right away.

Nickie Got this recipe from Detoxinista. To learn more about her fitness studio The Warehouse in Rosemont you can head over to their website.