Mason jars make great vases, piggy banks, soap dispensers, toothbrush organizers, drinking glasses, lanterns, and a whole host of other things. But did you know they can also be used to store and preserve…
FOOD?!
The possibilities with these things truly are endless! Believe it or not, way back in the way-back, this was the true purpose of the mason jar. I know. It’s crazy. No Mod Podge. No raffia. No scraps of lace necessary.
But seriously though. I keep a stockpile of these puppies in my house because I love to create my own sauces, condiments, and other goodies, and mason jars are the best way to store them. (And, yes, I do occasionally pop some M&Ms in one and throw a pretty bow on it as a little gift, because it does look oh-so-cute!)
One of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy is to eat real food and make as much as possible from scratch. I like knowing exactly what is in my food — to me it just tastes and feels better that way. I do use canned items when necessary (you’ll see some of that below), but I try to stick with fresh or minimally processed foods as much as I can. Here are some of my favorite ways to use these handy little mason jars.
I keep these staple recipes in my refrigerator pretty much all the time:
Homemade Ketchup
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Whisk it all together and heat over medium-low heat until desired consistency is reached. It’ll keep for one to two weeks in the fridge. This one is consistently a crowd pleaser.
Coconut Coffee Creamer
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple syrup to taste
Blend it all up and pop it in a jar in the fridge, ready for the morning. A yummy and healthy way to start your day!
Chipotle Enchilada Sauce
1 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chipotle spice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Saute onion and pepper till soft, add in tomato sauce and spices, and blend it up. If you’re sensitive to spiciness, go easy on the chipotle. Great on veggie enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, pork enchiladas, nachos, beef enchiladas… you name it. Delish
Basic Balsamic Dressing
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons garlic
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Blender, jar, enjoy.
Avo-Cashew Dressing
I almost don’t want to share this one because I feel like it is one of my best-kept secrets. It’s another one that people always love, and it doesn’t hurt that it packs a big healthy-fat punch!
1/2 ripe avocado
3/4 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 handful raw cashews
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Sea salt to taste
Throw it in the blender (you need a pretty good one to get the cashews 100% mixed in there), mix until smooth. I always end up tasting this one and adding more lemon or salt depending on my mood. Sometimes the vinegar can taste a little overwhelming when you taste it without a veggie, but it’s perfection over a salad.
I hope you enjoy making and trying these recipes! I’d love to know some of your favorite recipes!
