LO C A L F L AVO R
Layered Salad is easy-to-pack lunch
ABOVE: Layered salad can be made with a variety of vegetables, fruits and toppings in any container available to you. COLLEEN MCGRATH BELOW: Lisa McCoy, family and consumer-sciences educator with University of Maryland Extension in Washington County, adds blueberries to a layered salad. COLLEEN MCGRATH
written by LISA MCCOY Now that summer is here, many people are opting to pack salads for lunch. Why not try layering your salad when packing it? It will stay fresher, and you can prepare it the night before so it is easy to grab on your way out the door. Start with a wide-mouthed glass or plastic container. A pint- or quart-sized canning jar works well. Layering the ingredients keeps them separated until you are ready to mix and eat, and the salad won’t get soggy. Start with the salad dressing on the bottom, or you can pack the dressing in a separate container. The next layer should be the heaviest ingredients that will not absorb the dressing, such as hard, chopped vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, red and green peppers, cooked beets and onions. The next layer can be cooked or canned beans like chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans. Other ideas for this layer include cooked grains, such as barley, rice or pasta. The following layer is for proteins, like diced or crumbled cheese, cooked chicken, ham or tuna, hard-boiled eggs or cubed tofu. Optional for the next layer are soft vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, avocados, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, or dried fruits, like apricots, cranberries and raisins.
