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The best salads are the ones that use seasonal fruits and veggies for the time of year you want to enjoy them. When selecting food that’s in season, you’re ensuring it’s at its peak taste, texture, and nutrient density, so we’re highlighting seasonal cherries, figs, sunflower seeds, and year-round avocados for this Summer Mason Jar Salad.
This summery version of our Mason jar salad series features the sharp flavors of arugula, lemon-pepper, and cherries. To balance out the tartness, we added sweet figs, avocado, and sunflower seeds, all tossed in a honey-shallot vinaigrette to bring the flavors together.
We love the free radical–fighting polyphenols found in cherries, as they have been linked to reduced inflammation1,2 and blood pressure regulation3,4—so don’t be afraid to load up on these juicy little fruits as you assemble your salad. They only need a little work when pitting, which can be made easier with a cherry pitter.
Being able to pack this salad into a jar makes it the perfect companion for road trips, camp meals, or a convenient lunch to take with you as you go out the door. We just suggest waiting to slice the avocado until you’re ready to eat.
As the seasons change, give our other Mason jar salads a try:
TIPS:
- We recommend making your own lemon-pepper seasoning to avoid added salts and sweeteners found in some storebought spice blends.
- If you can’t find all the fruit called for in this recipe, use another summer seasonal fruit like peaches instead.
Dietary Restrictions: Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.
References:
- Ferretti G, Bacchetti T, Belleggia A, Neri D. Cherry Antioxidants: From Farm to Table. Molecules. 2010 Oct 12;15(10):6993–7005. Available from:
https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/15/10/6993 - Kelley DS, Rasooly R, Jacob RA, Kader AA, Mackey BE. Consumption of Bing sweet cherries lowers circulating concentrations of inflammation markers in healthy men and women. The Journal of Nutrition [Internet]. 2006 Apr 1;136(4):981–6. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16549461/
- Keane KM, George TW, Constantinou CL, Brown MA, Clifford T, Howatson G. Effects of Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus Cerasus L.) consumption on vascular function in men with early hypertension. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 May 4;103(6):1531–9. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27146650/
- Moosavian SP, Maharat M, Chambari M, Moradi F, Rahimlou M. Effects of tart cherry juice consumption on cardio-metabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2022 Aug;102883. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36038032/
Summer Mason Jar Salad
- Recipe by: Andrea Dehnke
- Serves: 1
- Meal: Lunch
- Serves: 1
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Avocado oil, for greasing
2 chicken tenderloins
2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning (AIP - omit)
1/8 cups sunflower seeds (AIP - omit_
1/2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 cups figs, chopped
2 cups arugula
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp raw honey
1/2 shallot, diced
1/2 avocado
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with avocado oil.
Pat chicken dry and season all over with lemon pepper.
Place chicken on baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
While chicken cools, layer the Mason jar. Place sunflower seeds, cherries, and figs in the bottom of the jar. Top with arugula. Reserve avocado half aside until ready to use.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and shallot. Store in a separate, small jar until ready to use.
Once cool to the touch, cube lemon-pepper chicken and store in another sperate container. Store all ingredients in the fridge.
To serve, slice avocado half into cubes and add to Mason jar with chicken and dressing. Seal the jar and shake to toss.
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