Three Meals in a Jar, Each Containing at Least 20g of Protein

I think I have the best job in the world.

For those who don't know me, I develop recipes for food companies, create visual content, and manage Instagram accounts in the vegan food and fitness sectors.

In practice (or if you want to use my favorite Yiddish word—tachles), I work from my kitchen table, baking, cooking, filming, and editing all day long.

Dream job or what, right?

Even though I live in Tel Aviv, I usually eat my meals at home and avoid eating out regularly as much as possible.

Yes, you read that right.

Avoid it as much as possible.

Why?

First, for financial reasons (do I really need to detail the monthly cost of eating out regularly in Tel Aviv? Hint: it's a lot).

Second (and more importantly to me), is the caloric cost. Yes, eating out comes with a (very) high caloric price, so I almost always try to eat the food I cook myself.

Aside from a very small number of restaurants (usually hummuserias), restaurants typically add ingredients like sugar and oil to make dishes tastier.

So, when I know I'll need to eat lunch away from home, I make sure to take it with me. And to avoid using polluting plastic containers, I carry my food in glass jars.

My tip for keeping vegetables fresh and crunchy and the tofu crispy is to place the sauce at the bottom of the jar and only mix all the ingredients right before eating for the perfect bite.

A Bit About Meals in Jars

In the following recipes, I’ve tried to create variety and an original theme for each jar.

One is Asian,

The second is Mexican,

And the third is Italian.

I chose to use whole grain sources in each jar, which contain higher amounts of protein and dietary fiber, helping you feel full for longer.

If you choose to use white rice over whole grain, for example, you’ll lose a significant amount of protein, fiber, and a host of wonderful vitamins and minerals. Isn't that a shame?

The goal of this post is to show you the principle of combining legumes and grains to increase the protein content in every meal and, more importantly, to diversify your meals so things stay interesting.

Note that I am not addressing the issue of "complete protein" (the number of essential amino acids we must consume from food). If you want to eat a jar full of black beans without rice, there is no health problem regarding protein (Tip: just make sure to sleep alone, because you're about to raise the roof with gas).

Nutritional Values:

Asian Jar with whole wheat noodles, tofu, edamame, and broccoli in a peanut butter and soy sauce (200g serving)

• 442 calories
• 36g protein
• 29g carbohydrates
• 22g fat (of which 3g is saturated)

Mexican Jar with brown rice, black beans, corn, guacamole, jalapeño, and salsa (490g serving)

• 430 calories
• 20g protein
• 71g carbohydrates
• 9g fat

Italian Jar with whole wheat spaghetti, tofu, green beans, and tomato sauce (200g serving)

• 500 calories
• 32g protein
• 44g carbohydrates
• 21g fat (of which 2g is saturated)

Feel like another high-protein dish?

Print

Vegan Asian Jar - 20g Protein

Prep time 10 minutes

Servings 2 jars

Calories 442 kcal

Ingredients

Peanut Butter and Soy Sauce

• 30 g natural peanut butter, no added sugar (like Rusty's) 2 flat tsp
• 1 tbsp soy sauce 10 ml
• 1/2 garlic clove, crushed If you don't plan on kissing anyone, go ahead and use a whole clove.
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp warm water optional

Jar Components

• 160 g whole wheat noodles cooked according to package instructions
• 300 g firm tofu cubed
• 100 g soybeans (edamame) shelled and cooked according to package instructions
• 8-10 florets broccoli blanched for a few minutes in boiling water or 3-5 minutes in the microwave

Instructions

Prepare the Sauce

1. In a small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients until smooth.

2. If the sauce is too thick, add a little warm water and stir quickly (like making tahini).

Prepare the Tofu

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.

2. Place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

4. Roast the tofu for about 10 minutes until slightly browned.

Assemble the Jar

1. Place the peanut butter sauce at the bottom of the jar first.

2. Then layer in order: noodles, edamame, tofu, and broccoli.

3. Mix the jar well before eating.

Print

Mexican Jar with Brown Rice, Beans, Corn, Guacamole, Jalapeño, and Salsa

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Servings 2 jars

Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients

Salsa

• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 handful cilantro leaves

Jar Components

• 300 g cooked brown rice
• 300 g cooked black beans canned or frozen is fine
• 60 g corn kernels, no added sugar
• 100 g avocado
• 1 juice from half a lemon
• 1 jalapeño pepper or any hot pepper you prefer
• 1 handful cilantro spring

Instructions

Prepare the Salsa

1. Place all salsa ingredients in a food processor (not a blender) and pulse until you get a chunky sauce consistency.

Prepare the Guacamole

1. Using a fork, mash the avocado until smooth.

2. Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt and mix together.

Assemble the Jar

1. Add the salsa to the bottom of the jar first.

2. Then layer in order: rice, beans, corn, guacamole, and cilantro.

3. Mix well before devouring.

Print

Italian Jar in Fresh Tomato and Garlic Sauce with Tofu Cubes, Green Beans, and Basil

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Servings 2 jars

Calories 500 kcal

Ingredients

Fresh Tomato and Garlic Sauce

• 2 tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch salt

Jar Components

• 300 g tofu cubed
• 100 g whole wheat spaghetti cooked according to package instructions
• 100 g green beans thawed and blanched for a few minutes in a pot with boiling water or in the microwave
• 1 handful roughly chopped basil leaves

Instructions

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

1. Place all sauce ingredients in a blender and blend well until smooth.

Prepare the Tofu

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.

2. Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little pepper and salt, and bake for a few minutes until slightly browned.

Assemble the Jar

1. Place the tomato sauce at the bottom of the jar first.

2. Then layer in order: spaghetti, tofu, green beans, and top with basil leaves.

3. Mix all ingredients well before eating.