Tahini Caesar Salad Jars: An easy & satisfying dairy-free salad for parent & young athlete

Wow, I have not posted in a while because life has obviously taken a sudden turn. My typical workday has been turned upside down and new responsibilities and priorities have taken over. However, while life currently looks very different, I still want to write and I still want to share nutrition information and recipes that I think might be valuable to you guys. As you know if you’ve been following along, I try to keep my recipes simple with minimal ingredients and so I hope you can use my site for some helpful resources during this crazy time. These recipes might be helpful because, for some of you, this new schedule has left you with even less time during the day. Yet, for others, this new way of life may mean more time at home and a need to fill some free time for you or for you and your kids. For those in the former group, these take around an hour to completely prep and then you have lunches to quickly grab out of the fridge during the week. For the latter group, this might be a good time to experiment in your kitchen with whatever groceries you have or are able to have on hand and today’s recipe might be a good one to try! Today I’m sharing my Tahini Caesar Salad Jars that you heard me talk about a ton in previous months. It uses pretty common ingredients (except the tahini may be uncommon for some), and, from my recent experience, these items can still found on the shelves in grocery stores.

In the last few months, in an effort to find some easy prep meals and simplify my weekday mornings, I have been trying out different salad jar combinations. My first experiment was these Chicken Caprese Salad Jars and they turned out wonderfully!! Check out my post for the recipe AND how you can tailor them to meet the needs of the young athlete. My second experiment was these Tahini Caesar Salad Jars. If you’ve been following me for a while then you may remember the Tahini Caesar Dressing that I posted a while back. I seriously do love this dressing and am convinced that it makes everything better! I knew I wanted to use that dressing in my ingredient combination for these jars. It took a few tries to get the proportions right for me, but I think this is perfect for your everyday lunch. The tahini dressing takes no time to whip up and you can do that and saute the mushrooms in a skillet while you let the quinoa cook (quinoa is a very low maintenance grain to cook!).

I love the final flavor combinations of this salad as well. I really don’t know which salad jar I like better! With this recipe you will have a little extra tahini dressing and I would save it in an airtight container in your fridge to use for salads, bowls or dipping sauces later in the week. It’s a fabulous and easy way to add a punch of flavor to otherwise simple and, maybe a little bland, dishes.

So, what about the athlete? How does this salad jar fit into his / her sports nutrition plan (I know many athletes are not able to practice right now. However, I feel it’s still a good time to learn and so I will continue to share tips and facts with you in this space.)? Well, the same rules apply for these as for my Chicken Caprese Salad Jars so I would make sure to give that post a read if you need to up the carbohydrate or change any of the proportions. And, a reminder, while this is a great all-in-one salad, it should not be the only thing the athlete has for lunch. Especially if the athlete is in training season or competition season, this one jar will not be enough. My Chicken Caprese Salad Jar post also has ideas of sides to add along with this lunch so definitely check it out!

So, here you go, the recipe for my Tahini Caesar Salad Jar.s I hope it simplifies your weekdays just a little and helps fuel you and / or your young athlete!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Tahini Caesar Salad Jars

Makes 3 jars

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tablespoons Tahini Caesar Dressing

• 1/2 to 1 cup, uncooked quinoa (I always go ahead and cook 1 cup dry so I have leftovers for dinners during the week. If you don’t want leftovers, prepare about 1/2 cup dry quinoa)

• 3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes

• Salt, to taste

• 3/4 cup quartered roasted baby bella mushrooms

• 1 1/2 cup diced or pulled store-bought rotisserie chicken

• 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together all ingredients for the Tahini Caesar Dressing.

2. Cook quinoa according to package directions.

3. While quinoa is cooking, heat a small skillet to medium heat and add the quartered baby bella mushrooms. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes until they start to soften and release their water. Remove from the heat.

4. Ideally, allow the ingredients to cool as much as you can but, if time doesn’t allow, go ahead and begin assembling.

5. To assemble each jar add:

   • 2 tablespoons Tahini Caesar dressing

   • 1/4 cup cooked quinoa

   • 1/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes

   • Pinch of salt

   • 1/4 cup quartered roasted baby bella mushrooms

   • 1/2 cup diced or pulled rotisserie chicken

   • Another drizzle of tahini dressing

   • 1 cup chopped Romaine lettuce

6. Once cooled, add the tops to your containers and store them in the refrigerator for lunches during the week! You can eat them straight from the jar, or dump out the ingredients into a big bowl and toss all ingredients together. I enjoy it both ways, just depends on where I’m eating lunch that day!

Grilled Pesto Garden Salad with Warm Balsamic Shrimp

This month my recipe is a fresh and simple summer dish.  Everything can be assembled and piled on the grill or, if a grill isn't available, a grill pan will do the trick.  This recipe has so many components that appeal to the senses with its array of colorful vegetables, soft feta cheese, pretty green pesto, and pink and white juicy shrimp.  The sights and senses are enhanced by the sweet pop of flavor from the grilled summer veggies, the nuttiness and depth from the pesto and the subtle bite from the warm balsamic dressing.  I created this recipe about 2 years ago and have pulled it out as a summer staple, whether at home, on the beach, or visiting family, every summer since.

The tomatoes and bell peppers give the salad a burst of vitamin C, while the grilled asparagus and leafy greens give a boost of iron, folate and vitamin K.  The pesto contributes healthy fats from the olive oil and nuts that promote healthy cholesterol levels, help the body absorb the vitamins A and K from the dish, and may help fight inflammation.  The smooth feta offers a little fat that aids in satiety, a tiny bit of protein and a little calcium.  To help refuel tired and worked muscles or to fuel them for a big run or workout the next day, I like to add some hearty whole grain bread to serve on the side.  This adds fueling complex carbohydrates to refuel depleted energy stores in the muscle and also keep the body from using the body's protein stores to repair any torn tissues from exercise.  It also provides some protein (since it's a whole grain), fiber, and a little magnesium and phosphorus among other nutrients, depending on the exact bread you buy.  The combination of tastes, textures and nutrition in this dish makes it a truly fueling and satisfying meal.  

So, get out the grill and toss together this grilled veggie and shrimp salad for a light and satisfying summer supper.

Happy Fueling!

Grilled Pesto Garden Salad with Warm Balsamic Shrimp

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 small shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 small summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

• About 0.75 pound of asparagus (1/2 a bunch), chopped into 3-inch pieces.

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into large 1 to 1 1/2 -inch pieces

• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large pieces 1 to 1 1/2 -inch pieces

• 2 cups mixed greens

• 1 1/2 tbsp. jarred pesto

• 2 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

• 1 loaf whole grain bread

For Shrimp Marinade:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp. honey

• dash of salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together all ingredients for the marinade.

2. Add dressing to a bowl or sealable bag with the shrimp and allow to marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal.

3. Heat grill or grill pan to medium heat.

4. Toss the chopped vegetables with 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt and a dash of pepper.

5. Grill the vegetables on the grill until they start to soften and begin to get grill marks.

6. Place the grilled veggies in a bowl and gently toss with the pesto. Tent with foil or place in a warm oven to keep warm.

7. Remove shrimp from the bowl or bag with marinade and grill about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side.

8. Assemble salad by adding 1 cup of mixed greens to base of each plate. Then top with grilled vegetables, 5 shrimp, and 1 tbsp. feta cheese per plate.

9. Accompany dish with warm rustic whole grain bread, if desired, and enjoy!