Two weeks ago today, I started The Conscious Cleanse with two mason jars. One was filled with warm lemon water, the other with a green smoothie packed with kale and frozen mango. For the next 14 days, I (mostly) eschewed caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy (no issue there), peanuts, soy, corn, chocolate, strawberries, and nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant). Basically, all my most favorite of things. In the process, I learned a lot about my food triggers and the power that food has to affect my mood and how I feel overall. While I share with you my final thoughts on the cleanse, I thought it only fitting to wrap up my experience with a mason jar – a Mason Jar Salad, that is.
You’ve heard of the Mason Jar Salad, right? I just love this concept. It’s totally a Pinterest kind of thing, except no pallets are required. Seriously, what is up with everything on Pinterest being made out of pallets? I digress. Mason Jar Salads are super cool. They are easily made ahead, totally portable, and the container is reusable. Plus, they’re so pretty.
During the cleanse, I got to exercise my culinary creativity pretty big time. One thing you should know about me – if I am given a list of things I cannot have, you can bet I am going to push the limits to thoroughly enjoy what I CAN have. On the group Facebook page for the cleanse participants, I peppered the coaches with questions about ingredients. Could I have such-and-such? Was this or that “cleanse-friendly?” Pretty quickly I learned that if I had to ask, it probably wasn’t. I took this as a challenge to find things to eat that tickled my taste buds while still adhering to the guidelines. I realized that there are just endless combinations of textures and flavors awaiting us in Salad Land. Here is but one example.
I started with this idea of a Granny Smith apple and almond butter. If anyone who did the cleanse along with me is reading this right now, they’re going to be all like, “Hold on. You’re supposed to eat fruit on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal! You rule-breaker!” Yep. That’s me. This salad has 1/4 of an apple in it, and I’m totally and completely ok with that. But, to be 100% cleanse-compliant, make this salad without the apple and breathe easy. Me, I added apples, and I’m so very glad I did.
Oh, for crying out loud. Look at that beautiful spring green freshness. Crispy, tart, with a hint of sweet. Just begging to fulfill its salad destiny.
Here’s how I cut my apples to prepare them for slicing. 4 quick cuts around the core, then flat side down on the cutting board before slicing into thin semicircles. Then a short bath in salted water. You DO know about the salted water trick, right? A quick soak will keep the apple slices from turning brown. Then rinse in cool water and stash in the fridge until ready to use – no discoloration! I’m a big fan of those kinds of tips.
Next, the almond butter. I decided to do a play on the dressing from the Salad Roll Salad and it turned out to be one of my better ideas. Bright acidity from the rice wine vinegar, emulsifying fat from the almond butter, some extra sumthin’ sumthin’ from toasted sesame oil, and a smidge of salt and maple syrup to balance it all out. Super simple, simply tasty.
Shake all the ingredients up in a pint-sized mason jar (what else?) until emulsified. The dressing will thicken as it stands, so don’t worry if it seems too thin at first.
This dressing makes enough for at least 4 salads, so save the extra!
During the cleanse, I ate a lot of nuts. Walnuts emerged as a favorite, especially in salads. There is just something about the almost meaty texture of a walnut that works really well as a texture component. The flavor is fantastic, too. I did a variation of this same salad with sliced avocado, and the combo with the walnuts was just wonderful.
More crunch and flavor factor from celery and radish. I love the natural saltiness of celery and the peppery bite from the radish. Also, I think radishes are so pretty, don’t you? That color just leaps out as if to say, “Hey! Notice me!”
Finally, the greens. I can’t get enough arugula lately. It’s so peppery, I love it! A wonderful counterpoint to the other flavors in this salad. I used a mix of baby greens for this salad that included arugula, chard, and spinach. All three cups of those greens got packed into the mason jar, with room to spare.
With all these greens I ate on the cleanse, I started to see some pretty great changes happen in my body. I’ve shared a bit about this already in my last post, but one outcome came as a big surprise. I’ve had edema in my right foot for years now, and it’s really a bother. About halfway into the cleanse, I started noticing that the edema had reduced significantly. A couple of days later, I could barely notice it. I was so excited!
But then…I cheated. Going into the cleanse, I knew that there would be a couple of times toward the end that I would stray from the plan, because I was taking Michael out to celebrate his birthday. And now the edema has returned, although not completely. So, there’s something to this whole elimination diet thing. At this point I’m pretty sure that potatoes are the culprit for my fat foot, which makes me pretty bummed, I have to tell you. But on the flip side, thanks to the cleanse, I have a renewed sense of commitment to care for myself, which includes limiting foods that don’t make me feel my best. So potatoes and I are going to be on a break for a little while, just to see if they really are a problem for me. Time will tell.
Another great outcome from the cleanse? 5 pounds down, baby! Along with the weight loss, I noticed a dramatic decrease in bloating and overall yucky GI stuff. I’m not completely ok in that area yet, but I attribute that to the fact that I did stray a bit from the guidelines. The two weeks of the cleanse coincided with a great deal of stress at work and in other areas of my life, too, so I’m really happy with what I was able to do with so many outside factors fighting against me.
So, in a nutshell, here’s what I took away from The Conscious Cleanse.
- I feel my best when vegetables and fruits comprise the majority of my food intake.
- I can go without caffeine for almost two weeks and not die (although I was seriously cranky for the first few days).
- I can recognize my food triggers and make better choices rather than giving in to my “cravings.” That was a big one.
“In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die…where you invest your love, you invest your life.”
– Mumford & Sons
All in all, I’m so glad that I did the cleanse. It absolutely served as a reboot of sorts for me, and I’m ready to keep learning how to find the balance between food for fuel and food for pleasure. Because life is too short not to eat chocolate.
Now let’s finish up this salad, shall we? When it comes to making the perfect Mason Jar Salad, remember this guideline – wet at the bottom, dry at the top. Here’s a handy infographic to help!
Believe it or not, there are three packed cups of greens in that jar! Oh, and make sure to use a wide mouth mason jar, the standard mouth size is just too narrow. Use that size for green smoothies!
Make sure to take a photo of your own mason jar salad creations and tag #passtheplants on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you create.
Here’s to your health, and to salads packed in a jar.
Simple Mason Jar Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons raw almond butter
- 1 Tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups mixed greens
- 1 stalk celery (diced)
- 2-3 radishes (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 in green apple (thinly sliced and soaked salted water to prevent browning)
- 1/3 cup walnuts
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a tightly sealed container and shake until emulsified.
For the Salad
- Pour 2 tablespoons of dressing in the bottom of a wide mouth mason jar.
- Working from the bottom up, layer the apples, radishes, celery, and walnuts.
- Pack in the greens and seal the jar. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Keeps 3-4 days.
- When ready to eat, pour the contents of the jar into a large bowl. If the dressing has thickened up and will not easily pour out of the jar, add a tablespoon of warm water, seal the jar, and shake to thin out the dressing before adding to the salad.
- Toss the salad with the dressing and enjoy!
Great photos and recipe, Beth! I did the conscious cleanse a couple years ago and as you mentioned, I learned A LOT about my food triggers. Hello sugar and starches. Thanks for the inspiration on the tofu scramble! Trying my hand at one this morning!
Thanks so much, Dana! Yes, carbs are definitely my nemesis. I wish I didn’t love them so. How’d your tofu scramble turn out? Recipe coming soon? 🙂
Oh beautiful! Not being a Pinterest person, I had never heard of a Mason Jar salad (yes, I know…I live in a cave… ;)), so I thought this a perfectly gorgeous idea! Also, I’d never heard of the apple trick…thanks for that handy tip!!
So glad you found it so beneficial and we re able to learn so much about your body and metabolism. Information is power, as they say! 😉
I think food should be so pretty that you almost don’t want to eat it – ALMOST. 🙂 Glad you found the apple tip useful!
Ooh, this looks yummy! I need to eat more salads. I’m totally slacking in the salad department, even though I love them (especially with balsamic vinaigrette). Congrats on losing weight! 5 pounds in 2 weeks is amazing. I’m so glad the cleanse helped you!
Thanks, friend! I’m slacking in all departments, you’re in good company. 🙂
Thanks for sharing how you felt during your cleanse Beth! I think it’s so amazing how changing your diet makes you feel and look. Love your photos and what did we do before we found mason jars on Pinterest?!
I can’t wait to try a mason jar salad! I’ve never done a cleanse before but I could certainly stand to eat a few more veggies 😉
Hi, Maris! Mason Jar Salads are so great. They’re the perfect prep-ahead lunch, because they stay fresh for a few days in the fridge. As for the cleanse, I’m at a point right now where I feel like I need to do it again. It’s so easy to fall back into poor eating habits, at least for me. Solidarity! 🙂
what type of almond butter do you use? Should I use organic almond butter and maple syrup?
Hi Sandy! I typically use almond butter from my grocery store, they have one of those machines that grinds it fresh. I’d recommend a variety that doesn’t contain any added oil. For example, Trader Joe’s has several varieties of almond butter and for the most part the ingredients are almonds and sometimes salt. It’s totally up to you whether to use organic or not, it doesn’t impact the flavor at all one way or the other. For me, whether or not I choose organic comes down to the risk level and the price. I hope you enjoy the salad! 🙂
Do you know what the nutrition info is on this salad? My dressing was a little thick, so I used about half of what this recipe calls for in the bottom of my jar. I just calculated the nutrient info for all the dressing ingredients, and divided that by 2. I’m getting around 813 calories for 1/2 the dressing mixture plus the fruit, veggies, and walnuts … ? I’m trying to log all my intake each day.
I know it’s a while since you commented, but in case you or anyone still needs it – the dressing is for 4 salads. So if you worked out the nutritional value (I didn’t, so not commenting on the numerical amount), probably need to divide by four instead of two for the suggested amount of dressing.
Unless you wanted double the dressing…
Just found you and so glad I di.
I realllly need to get back into eating more veggies. I was great for about three months, and then I slowly started sliding back to my old ways. Thanks for this lovely inspiration!
Beth, not only is this an excellent recipe but you’re a delightful writer and fine photographer. I write about food and movies in Ann Arbor. I’m bookmarking you. You’re awesome.
Hi. I loved your article and the recipe looks yummy! I also love the mason jar trend. As you said, it’s simple and so pretty. So far, I’ve mostly tried the egg-in-a-jar breakfast ideas that I’ve seen (yes, on Pinterest!lol) but I definitely want to try out your salad-in-a-jar recipe. My big question is, what size wide mouth jar are you using?? Mason jars come in so many sizes and it seems like no one ever says what size jar they are using. Thanks so much ?
This was really interesting. I have swollen legs from the knee caps down, I can make major indentations with my thumb. Medically they can’t figure it out, it came on all of a sudden, it’d go away and my legs and feet would be normal. But now they’ve been water logged/bloated/swollen for months. I never thought about it being something I’m eating. But I can’t imagine what….
Something similar happen to me. Blood tests revealed very low Albumin-protein.
Oh interesting, Kerry – I wonder if the standard metabolic tests I have gotten include Albumin-protein. Definitely worth checking into!
Great “how to”guide! Going to keep this in mind next time I pack my salad in a jar. Great recipe as well, looks so yummy 🙂 I love almond butter too.
Thanks Ana! 🙂 Hope you enjoy it when you give it a try.
Hi Beth, I love the idea of salads in jars. Great idea, plus they also always look so pretty! I too feel best with my diet largely consisting of vegetables and fruits and with minimal to no dairy at all. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi Ana! So sorry for the delayed response, I took a bit of a break this summer and am playing catch-up now. Thanks for your kind comment! 🙂
Hey Beth! Thanks for the recipe and for sharing the information on the cleanse. I need to do one. As far as what you found out about potatoes, I too have had to say goodbye to the white variety because they are in the nightshade family. I have used sweet potatoes and they are a wonderful substitute in many dishes. i bake chicken with sweet potatoes and celery and carrots. It is delicious. My daughter also thought it was good. She is twenty. When I got her seal of approval I knew I was onto something. Anyway, I just thought I would share that. Love your article and I look forward to your newsletter.
Hi Rosemerry! I am so sorry for the delayed response to this comment. I do love sweet potatoes! I haven’t completely done away with my beloved white potatoes, but I certainly eat them less often now. I love the idea of baking the sweet potatoes with celery and carrots too! Yum. Thanks for sharing! Newsletter to come very soon, by the way. 🙂
I would like information on how to do a cleanse. I have never done one and feel it could help me.
What size mason jar are you using? Regular pint, or the 24 oz?
Thanks
I thinned out the dressing by adding 1/4 cup hot water.
Nightshades are a real no-no for me. I’ve got arthritis (I’m 35) and they seriously increase my pain levels, But If you’re like I was, in an established long-term relationship with potatoes, you may find you love sweet potatoes as I do now. They’re not nightshades and now I actually prefer them, as they have so much more flavour. Now if you can find a non-nightshade replacement for tomato’s my life would be complete.