The idea is pretty simple: start with adding a dressing to a jar and then layer on various ingredients such as crisp veggies, buttery fish, and greens. Bingo … salad in a jar that’s ready to go when you are, with not a limp green in sight. Perfect for weekday lunches and healthy quick dinners. Wild salmon or Arctic char are good stand-ins for rainbow trout.
[callout]
Lentil love
When preparing lentils for a particular dish, consider adding extra to the pot of simmering water. Cooked lentils freeze well and can be used as an easy plant-based protein addition to future salads.
[/callout]
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) rainbow trout fillets
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp (5 mL) honey
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- 1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced radishes
- 1 medium unpeeled English cucumber, chopped
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cups (500 mL) cooked green or black lentils
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced basil
- 8 cups (2 L) baby spinach or other salad greens
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled soft goat cheese
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Season trout with salt and pepper and place skin side down on parchment paper- or silicone sheet-lined baking sheet. Bake fish for 15 minutes, or until just barely cooked through in the thickest part of flesh. Let rest for 5 minutes, then break apart flesh into 2 in (5 cm) chunks. Alternatively, you can prepare the trout on an outdoor grill.
2
In blender container, place strawberries, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, honey, garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper; blend until smooth.
3
To serve immediately, among 4 salad bowls, divide radishes, cucumber, bell pepper, lentils, basil, baby spinach, trout, and goat cheese. Toss gently together and drizzle dressing overtop each.
Make ahead:
Divide strawberry dressing among 4 large-mouth 24 oz (3 cup) Mason-style jars. Layer in radishes, cucumber, bell pepper, trout, lentils, basil, baby spinach, and goat cheese, in that order. Seal shut with lids and chill for up to 3 days.
4
To serve, simply pour contents of jar into a bowl. If needed, scrape out any remaining dressing from bottom of jar.
Per serving:
- saturated fat7g
- trans fat0g
- sugars9g
- fibre13g