Tex Mex Quinoa Salad in a Jar

Can I let you in on a little secret? I love salads. Like, LOVE salads. No matter how full I am, I always have room for salad. We call it the "salad pocket".
I mean, I guess there could be worse things that I could love to eat.
The whole salad-in-a-jar thing is a genius invention for salad lovers, such as myself. All you need is one 32 oz mason jar with a lid. Dressing goes on the bottom, yummy ingredients are in the middle and leafy greens are on the top. Everything stays separate and dressing-free until you toss it together in a bowl.  No more messy containers or the chance for your salad dressing to leak all over your work or lunch bag. (Because let's be honest, it's happened to the best of us.) Most importantly, no more soggy salads. Genius.
This healthy and simple Tex Mex Quinoa Salad-in-a-Jar recipe is no exception to my love of salads. I promise you, it will reinvent the way you look at lunch. 

Tex Mex Quinoa Salad-in-a-Jar

INGREDIENTS
For the quinoa:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 

For the dressing:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 tsp chia seeds

For the salad:

• 1/4 cup corn
• 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp jalapeño, diced (optional)
• 6 small whole grape of cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup greens (romaine, arugula and/or baby spinach)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the quinoa: In a pot, sauté onions in olive oil in medium heat until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add water, quinoa, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Add dressing ingredients in a bowl and combine. Add 1/2 cup cooked quinoa to bowl and toss with dressing until well combined. Add to bottom of large mason jar.
3. Layer the remaining salad ingredients in the mason jar, in the following order: corn, beans, tomatoes and greens. Pack the greens in to get as much as possible in the jar.
4. Put a lid on the jar (like this reusable plastic mason jar lid) and refrigerate. Salad stays fresh approximately 4 to 5 days.

Do you enjoy salads? What is your favourite?