I am continuing my series of salads in a jar this week with the Chef’s Salad.  The Chef’s Salad’s origins are often disputed, but it may have been based upon a 17th and 18th century dish called  Salmagundi which was a salad composed of meat, eggs, and vegetables served with a vinaigrette.  Some say the Chef’s Salad was inspired by the Cobb Salad invented at the Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles, while others attribute it to a chef at the Ritz-Carlton in the early 1940’s.

No matter what the origin of the Chef’s Salad, it can be a nutritional powerhouse if correctly made.  The vitamins and fiber from the lettuce and other vegetables when paired with lean protein can provide considerable nutritional benefits.  The fiber fills you up and the protein helps to stabilize the blood sugar for longer periods of time.  Since I love the Chef’s Salad, it’s no wonder that  I decided that it would be my next salad in a jar.

I began by pouring a layer of ranch dressing into the bottom of the jar and adding the layer of grape tomatoes.

Julienned carrots were added next and topped with chopped cucumber.

Then a layer of julienne cut ham was placed in the jar.This was followed by chopped hard-boiled egg and sliced green onions.

Shredded cheese is sprinkled on top of the onions.

Finally, the remaining space in the jar is filled with chopped romaine lettuce.

The lids are placed on the jars and the jars placed in the refrigerator.    I really enjoyed this salad, give it a try.