So this summer, they’ve introduced a salad that I really like (although, if I’m being honest, there are things about it that I don’t like…more on that in a minute), but I am under no delusion that it will be here much past Labor Day. I’m telling you: trust issues. So I figured I could make my own version (my bank account thanks me). And, since it’s something I could eat every day and be happy, it’s something I could also make in salad jars and keep handy in the fridge. I bring you the Wendy’s Copycat Mediterranean Power Salad.
This is really, super easy. And there’s not a reason in the world you couldn’t just make this in a bowl instead of in jars. In addition to 4-ish cups of the greens of your choice (I like a crunchy romaine blend, but you could mix whatever you like in there), you’ll need some drained and rinsed Great Northern Beans and Garbanzo beans, 2-3 slices of red onion, 3 ounces of chopped, cooked chicken breast, 2 tablespoons of feta, 2 tablespoons of quinoa (I actually used Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice), and a small handful of tomatoes. And two tablespoons of garlic or roasted red pepper hummus (just your favorite store brand, although we do have a recipe for roasted red pepper hummus that’s quite tasty.)
Remember when I said there were a few things I didn’t love about the Wendy’s salad? I don’t love the hummus they use, and they also have some kind of jarred chopped roasted red pepper salad (it tastes kind of pickled.) I don’t like that, either. But those are easy fixes–swap out the pepper stuff for fresh tomatoes (or chopped fresh colored peppers) and use a hummus I like better. Bam. So if you’re making these in jars, grab a wide-mouth quart-sized jar and place the chopped chicken in the bottom. then layer the onions, quinoa, tomatoes (in the form of a smiley face, please! It’s the only way.), and lettuce. I didn’t put the hummus or dressing in there because I didn’t want to risk things getting funky in my jars, so I grabbed a package of those portion cups with lids from the paper plate area of the grocery store and put the hummus in one…
and two tablespoons of light balsamic dressing in the other (I was shooting for about 4 grams of fat/60 calories per 2 tablespoons.) You could absolutely make your own dressing if you’d like. Right now, I can barely keep my kids in clean clothes, so bottled dressing it is.
Press the hummus and dressing cups down into the salad jar and then top with the lid and refrigerate for up to 5-7 days! Or eat it right away. Nutrition Information: Calories: 346 Fat: 12 Saturated Fat: 2 Protein: 33 Carbs: 24 Fiber: 5 Sugars: 9 WW Smart Points: 9
