Remember this fun layered salad I had from Whole Foods while in Arizona?
I believe I said, “Mark my words, this will be the first thing I make when I’m on Canadian soil.”
Ok, so it wasn’t technically the first thing I made (not even close if you could see all the recipe testing I’ve been doing), but at least I remembered to make it at all. Miracles do happen.
With a salad this simple, it really wasn’t difficult to recreate at home. The most difficult part was judging how much of each vegetable/grain I would need and then figuring out how many mason jars and servings it would make. There are a lot of scribbles in my notebook!
The first thing I did was test out my own version of the Oil-Free Orange Ginger Dressing.
After a few trials, I was happy with the dressing, keeping in mind how light and simple the Whole Foods dressing was. This isn’t a thick or hearty dressing, but simply a light accent to highlight the flavours in the salad. I also added in fresh lime juice to give it a fun twist! Love that kick of lime.
Now, moving onto the salad. I decided to do without the barley in the salad, because I really didn’t want to cook 3 grains on the stove top. Two is plenty for this salad! While I cooked the quinoa and wheatberries on the stovetop, I chopped the vegetables. Oh and I did without the tomatoes because out of season tomatoes are just tragic, aren’t they?
After everything was ready, I started layering, while looking at the original Whole Foods salad as I went. I made four 500-ml mason jars worth, with some grains leftover. The salad will last for about 5 days in the fridge, so this works perfectly for easy lunches to make ahead of time. I’ve also included the exact measurements in the directions, if you’d like to replicate the mason jar layering.
Or, if you aren’t into layering, just dump it into a big bowl or container and mix it up! This is actually what I ended up doing because I brought the salad for a family get together on the weekend. Or you could layer it, I’m sure, in a large glass bowl too. The salad turned out incredibly fresh, light, and just like the one I remember devouring from Whole Foods.
Mark my words, this is one healthy salad that will keep you going all week long. Just don’t forget to have a piece of cookie dough fudge for dessert.
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{ 181 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the way you re-create these things for the rest of us!! That looks wonderful and something tells me that dressing will become my hubby’s new favorite!
Oooh I love this recipe Ange! I have another Whole Foods re-creation coming up soon but I’m so glad you’ve posted this one because I haven’t seen it in our Canadian locations! Sounds fantastic! :)
I don’t think I’ve seen them here either…wonder why?
You can pick our product up at Wholefoods in Toronto.
This is such a gorgeous salad! I’ve had the idea of a mason jar salad “pinned” for weeks. This just inspired me to execute and make my own!
I can’t wait for tomato season – I too a risk and bought some last week and was horribly disappointed. :(
Hi Angela, I love this easy fresh salad recipe and especially your advice with the cookie dough fudge for dessert :)
I’m digging all of those vegetables! It looks like something that would be awesome with a dollop of guacamole on top too (maybe without the dressing, but still). So many gorgeous fresh colors!
Mmm, love that idea. It is also good with hummus…but what isn’t?
right :D
This looks amazing! Any substitution recommendations in order to make this gluten-free?
Thank you Julie. :) Hmm maybe sub the wheatberries for brown rice? or millet?
I tried this recipe with the millet, and it was good. Then I tried it with Lundberg’s red rice….even better! Gluten free and very yum.
sounds good! I will have to try that :)
Yes, use brown rice. It’s also low carb which is important for my fiancé.
Sweet :) As a student I always struggle with making salads because I need something portable and that can be made for the whole week. It’s awesome because you can make it on the weekend and just grab a jar in the morning. This is so inspirationally health :)
Love this! I’ve been really into mason jar meals lately!
so colourful! I can’t wait to try this :D
oh I love this idea! I’ve also seen putting the dressing in first on the bottom and any leafy greens up top so they don’t get soggy, and that makes the entire salad, dressing and all easily portable!
That is a great idea Katie!
It looks JUST like the whole foods salad! So nice to be able to make such a simple dish at home without spending the grocery store markup! LOVE this for office lunches :). I made your not so tuna salad last night for lunch today…can’t wait to dive into that!
This looks incredible! Thanks for posting!
looks AMAZING!! I know what I’ll be bringing for lunches next week- you’ve actually made me excited for Monday ;)
also, I’m a huge sucker for mason jar anything… so you’re basically my hero today!
Looks like a great WF re-creation! And that fudge sounds like the perfect ending. Who said you can’t have happy endings? :)
I’ve been thinking about the original Whole Foods version since you posted it! This looks so fresh and vibrant- and I don’t really need to go to WF to buy salad. :D
This look like a delicious salad, I can’t wait to bring it for lunch.
YUM. I love how vibrant everything is – you can’t beat that in a dish!
looks so healthy and yummy…. i must make this xx
Oh yum, ‘ve had that before at whole foods. Keep these Whole Foods swaps coming please!
This looks absolutely delicious! I’ve been looking for good, easy vegan lunch ideas and I think I’ve just found my lunch for all of next week!! Is this a complete protein with the edemame along with the wheat berries and quinoa? This is such a great recipe that would be very easy to switch up! Can’t wait to try it!
quinoa, if I’m not mistaken, is a complete protein all on it’s own. I also think edamame is too?
Good call, I forgot about that for quinoa. I’m not sure about edamame, but seriously what a great recipe for protein. That has been my biggest struggle with eating more vegan. I think I’ll have to start supplementing with a protein powder. Do you like rice protein the best? I was looking at your last minute protein energy bars and I am thinking about trying rice protein. I know you also like Amazing Grass, but it is so expensive. Thanks!
And yep, just wikipedia-ed edamame and it is a complete protein. Woo hoo!
Right now my fav protein powder is the Garden of life one, found in this post: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/10/25/protein-powder-reviews/ it’s unsweetened, but that’s how I like it so I can add my own fruit as sweeteners.
I am currently in South Carolina, and you can mark MY words. This is one of the first things I’ll be making when I’m back on Canadian soil.
Looks amazing!
xx
-A
Glad to hear that Amanda ;)
I like the new recipe printing format! I am always more inspired to make something when I can see a picture of it – especially something so beautifully colorful as this salad. Thanks!
I love being inspired by restos and recreating them at home… with a citrus-based dressing, this looks right up my alley. Beautiful, beautiful presentation in the Mason jars, btw.
Angela, this looks incredible!!! Love the bright colors and flavors that will make any of these dreary winter days pop! As always, great job with the recipe! :)
I can’t wait to try this! Would Farro be an ok sub for the wheat berries? I have some on hand and had an amazing citrusy Farro salad recently. This reminds me of it!
yea I think farro would work nicely!
This looks so good and easy to make! All of your recipes are so cooking friendly(ie im not the greatest cook) I’v sent your website to a couple of friends who love your stuff! Thanks so much! Going to make this tonight :)
Thanks for passing the blog along Danica!
This looks great, but I have to say, I just don’t understand the appeal of oil-free dressing, from both a health and taste perspective. I feel like any calories saved are added back in with the fruit juice, and I need a little fat for salads to be satisfying. And aren’t many of the nutrients from the grains and vegetables are better absorbed when they’re accompanied by fat? I’m thinking of studies like this one: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/dress-up-your-salad/ I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the issue, actually.
Anyway, I think with a little olive oil in the dressing and some avocado or hummus layered on top (as suggested above), this would be a much fuller meal. Can’t wait to try it out!
That’s a great point Emily! I do usually add oil to dressing, however I wanted to replicate this oil-free whole foods version. Avocado is a great suggestion as a way to sneak in some healthy oil. Maybe I will add that in next time.
Did you soak the wheat berries? I love wheat berries, but I get slightly bummed when I see them in a recipe because of the additional prep time. I’m not the most patient girl!
Hey Mindy, Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t depending on time and if I plan ahead. Soaking grains is said to help with digestion and cook time, but in this case I didn’t soak and it turned out fine.
Thanks. I will make it today!
Let me know what you think of it. Take care!
What a delectable looking salad. I’ve been favoring these types of nutrient packed veg-grain-legume bowls lately…this looks just perfect! (And, I share your disappointment re. tasteless out of season tomatoes. ick!)
I am going to make that SO HARD this weekend. Thanks for sharing!!
That clever Angela is back at it again. This is fantastic and if only we had these pre-made to take to work, but of course, now we can. :)
Stunning colors!
Wow, that is definitely the prettiest salad I have ever seen! And it looks absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try this out. Thanks for the great recipe!
This looks as delicious as it is beautiful! I start a new job next week, and I really needed portable lunch ideas since I have had the luxury of making lunches at home now for a while… Your timing was perfect once again. :-)
~Emily~
Whole Foods could hire you now to recreate at-home versions of their food :) It looks identical (but better!)
I love all the pops of color mixed in and the different textures are lovely. Nice job and great photos, too!
This salad looks delicious and so full of color! There is a rumor going around my hometown that we might finally get our very first whole foods! I am so excited!
This looks amazing!! Definitely bookmarking this recipe to make for the next work week :D
Looks beautiful – I love the colours! Can’t wait for your recipe book Angela!! I am missing GloBars soooooo much, especially the ones with the dried apricot in them!
Aw thank you! I hope it’s worth your wait. :)
I love wheatberries in salads and your salad dressings! Thanks for re-creating this!
Beautiful! This is the perfect solution for me for lunches to bring to work. So much better than the bagel-at-the-coffee-shop lunches I’ve been having lately because I’m too busy in the morning to make something healthy. This will be perfect to make on the weekends and then grab all week long. Thank you!
I love wheat berries! They are one of the few grains that keep me full for long periods of time. I’m not huge on quinoa, but I think I would like them in this. Looks good!
This looks SO good! I love whole foods salads with citrus dressings! I had a kale salad there once with a similar flavor combo and it was fabulous! Can’t wait to try this out!!!
I’ve been saying for about 2 months that I’m going to start making salads like this to bring to work, and I’ve yet to make one! They look so pretty and love how easy they are to assemble. Maybe I’ll actually find the inspiration to pack one tomorrow… or at least next week!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)
Have you tried Whole Food’s California quinoa salad?! It’s so good! It contains mangoes, raisins, edamame, quinoa, bell peppers, etc….and I thought “It’s so expensive, I could make it at home for less…but I just love it more when someone prepares it for me [then retails it for a billion dollars]”
yes I have and I loooove it! Thanks for the idea :)
This looks fantastic love!! I love summery foods like this, I feel spring is just around the corner and all of our beloved salads will be BACK and tastier than ever :)
I’m still swirling over the fudge you had the other day ;)
xxoo
That dish looks so amazing. Wondering, since I’m not real crazy about raw peppers, if I could lightly saute all the veggies then add them to the grains? I don’t think they would layer very well then, but they might make a tasty heated dish too.
yes Im sure that would work lovely too!
i so want this for my lunch today…
I love putting my meals-on-the-go in mason jars, they’re so handy and fit juuuuust well enough in my car’s cup holder! =)
Couldn’t agree more about out-of-season tomatos – abhorrent! But the salad looks yummy! I love salads that don’t include lettuce. The “extras” are always the best part! And sadly, I can’t make myself enjoy kale, no matter how hard I try…
I’ve been waiting for this recipe ever since you posted WF version during your trip. Thank you!!
I hope you enjoy it Angela. :)
HI
Thanks for including both the cup amount and about how many carrots, peppers etc would make that amount. Makes it easier to plan out the recipe.
thanks
Im glad to hear that’s helpful for you!
what a great idea!
That looks wonderful, especially due to the wheatberries. I can’t get enough of those things!
I’m super happy that you posted this; I love WF layered salads! Can you replicate some of their other varieties of layered salads too? :) :)
I’d love to make more layered salads in the future. I’ll put my thinking cap on.
Looks fantastic, colorful, and so healthy!
Hi Angela,
I am the only vegetarian/aspiring vegan in my household FILLED with carnivores. When I cook I only cook for me. How can I cut this recipe down so that it will only make 2-4 servings? I really have trouble with that. Thank you!!!!
Hey Sara, the recipe makes four 2-cup servings (with a bit of grains leftover), so if you want less I would just cut everything in half. Also, maybe just use one pepper instead of halving two.
Thank you so much for your help! And an idea for your cookbook might be a section for those of us cooking just for one :-) Just a suggestion though. Good luck with everything!
Thats a great suggestion. I will see how much demand there is for it in my survey. Enjoy the salad!
Yay! You are back with full posts on reader! :)
WOW! This looks amazing. Great idea!
Ohhh I remember buying that salad at the Wholefoods here in Hawaii and I loved it! I got to go check it out again today! I want to try making my own one day too it looks like so much fun and so colorful!
This looks awesome and I can’t wait to make it.
One question? You note the dressing makes 4 servings – do you used one serving per mason jar (the entire recipe of dressing for the entire recipe of salad) or do you split one serving amoungst all jars?
Let me know!
I use 1/4 cup dressing per mason jar (~2 cups salad). Does that help?
Yes it does, thank you!!
Sorry if this question was answered above but I didn’t see it. Do you pour the dressing into the jar when layering or keep it separate till time to eat?
Thats a great question and I forgot to address that. You can do either actually. The salad won’t get soggy if you put the dressing on before. However I do find that I can taste the dressing a bit better when I put it on just before serving. Otherwise it tends to soak in and you don’t taste it quite as much.
This looks great and perfect for hubby’s lunch!
Amazing! I love the colors, the layers, and the lightness + freshness of the dressing. Totally making myself some jars to take along to school + work. You are the best Angela!
Ana
Looks like a perfect copy!
This looks fantastic! YUMMY!
What a beautiful meal!! Looks delicious!
nice job! I work at whole foods- and get this salad all the time, you should try and make a duplicate of the ‘california quinoa salad’ it’s also reallllllly good. Thank you for making this- I never knew how they would’ve created that dressing. But its really good:)
as always- amazing pictures- great work!
What a lovely looking salad. Perfect for spring! (I am pretending it’s spring already.)
This salad looks so fresh and vibrant! I love fruity dressings as well. Thanks for sharing angela :)
A must try! I agree, out of season tomatoes are tragic!
This is right up my alley!! Only I would pour olive oil and vinegar all over it. I think fats help us to digest the nutrients of the vegetables… don’t you?
I will be making these this weekend! Thanks for another delish (& beautiful!) recipe!
i really love anything in a mason jar!!!
This looks divine! Gorgeous colours :)
This is a kick ass salad! Do you have nutritional info for it?
Not yet, but I will add it in if I end up calculating it out :)
This looks like a wonderful salad! I love all of the colors and the orange juice in the dressing would give it such a light fresh taste. Nice work!
Woo! #100 comment!
But what I really wanted to say was the salad looks so vibrant, almost like you can taste the good health just by looking at the photos.
Your version looks even prettier than the WF version! ;)
This is so briliant! It looks totally customizable, too – veggies, grains, whatever you want! I eat salads/greens all the time, and having them made up ahead is so insanely handy – thanks so much for sharing the recipe and amounts!
Yum! Why my local Whole Foods does’t supply me with such a great ideas? Love it!
YUMM!! It looks awesome, can’t wait to try it out!! Thanks for sharing!!
This looks so fresh…love WF salads! :)
#1. This looks awesome. I can’t wait to make my office jealous when I bring this into work.
#2. Do you know of any great vegetarian friendly cafes or restaurants in Milton? I am meeting a friend there for coffee and food, and would like to go somewhere awesome!
Awesome = word of the day. Happy Friday!
Hurray thanks for recreating this at home! I looooooooove all the Whole Foods layered salads. Well I haven’t tried them all but love the idea. :)
Wow does this look good! Must get to the store to gather the missing ingredients and make this.
Looks amazing and so refreshing!!! I need to make this recipe! Yum!
Beautiful pictures and what a great technique and recipe, thanks!!
Being a shift-worker who works for 12hrs in a row, this recipe is a life saver! I just made it today and now, my lunches are done for my “work week” (I get back to work tomorrow). Once again, you are a life-saver! Thank you!
Yay! I’ve been waiting patiently for you to post your re-creation of this salad ever since you talked about during your trip to Arizona. It sounds just as tasty and wonderful as I imagined it would be. Thanks so much, Angela! I especially love that the dressing doesn’t contain any oil, just good ol juices and vinegar. I can’t wait to whip up a batch of this stuff today!
I am making this for lunches this week. PB&J is toast (he he he)!
CUTE! Absolutely love the little mason jars full of goodness. Will have to make my own variety of this sweet sweet little salad.
Beautiful photos! I love the idea of make-ahead salad in such a portable form. Definitely going to make this soon.
I’m with you on the out-of-season tomatoes, too. I actually made your Weekend Glow Kale Salad this morning, but left out the tomatoes because I can’t justify paying a fistful of cash for something that won’t even have any taste. Oh well…summer’s getting closer every day!
Seriously, how awesome is that! A big veggie parfait.
I don’t have a gluten intolerance but I did cut it out almost a year ago (not completely but as much as possible). Do you have a suggestion of what to replace it with rather than cutting it out completely? After checking it’s nutritional info however it is very high in protein and fiber, perhaps wheatberries could be my gluten intake for the week. Thank you for making this recipe and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that you post pics along the way!
I would substitute with kasha or as another poster suggested, red rice.
I made this for a potluck at work today and it got rave reviews from my co-workers, none of whom are vegetarian or vegan. It went together very quickly and was eaten very quickly. Now I have to make more for myself! I love your recipes.
That looks yummy! I love that you can leave this in the fridge, grab and go!
Wow!! That salad looks beautiful, so colorful and vibrant! I miss whole foods so much :(
This looks so delicious! I’m definitely making it this week for lunch!
This. Looks. Amazing.
Do you know the difference between soft and hard wheatberries? I went to purchase some in order to make this salad next week but I wasnt sure of the difference! I chose soft… thanks for posting this I was waiting for it!! <3
I dont’ know if I have seen that one at my WF store! But I will have to try and make it first…much cheaper : )
I made this as soon as I saw the post and I absolutely loved it. I did make two quick changes, one being that I added chopped cabbage as a top layer (had some leftover in the fridge) and instead of the dressing, I added a generous dollop of hummus on top and mixed it in. I work between 60 and 72 hours every week, this is the exact kind of lunch that I need. Thank you so much for yet another wonderful post and recipe!
This looks AMAZING!! So inventive, I love this
This was great Angie :-) now that I am 90 minutes from Whole Foods it is good to recreate their nourishing salads.
I love the look of this recipe. So colorful, can’t wait to try it!
Yum! I just finished making this (with a few tweaks due to what I had and didn’t have on hand), and had to tell my hubby to make me stop eating it! Now there’s a bowl of deliciousness in my fridge for easy lunches this week…thanks!
For the dressing, how much of a difference will it make if I just use orange juice (instead of the orange/apple mix) for the dressing?
Making this tonight!
im sure it would be fine…just taste test it as you add the seasonings!
Delicous! I served it over a bed of spinach to add some leafy greens… it was wonderful. Love the “oil-free” dressing, so nice & light.
I always look forward to making your recipes – thanks Angela!
I remember when you bought this salad….I’m glad you re-created it! It’s lovely and looks delicious!
Did you use fresh edamame? We only have frozen available here and I’m wondering if thawed frozen edamame would work or would I have to somehow cook it first?
Kelly – I made this an used frozen edamame. Just cook it first. It stays well in the fridge.
This looks perfect for next week’s plane ride to Mexico. I’ll just have to find a TSA approved container for the dressing. Yum!
calories?
I love this recipe! I get so sick of salad for lunch in the winter and this was perrrrfect. Plus it’s more filling. I made the fixings on Sunday night (sans the dressing b/c I was lazy and went with a bottled soy ginger dressing). In the morning I layer the veggies on the bottom with a little dressing, add the wheatberries and quinoa, and then toss on some edamame. It’s great because I don’t have to pack the dressing seperately! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for this delightful recipe! I made this last night. I posted up my cooking results on my blog =)
Just saw that TheKitchn just posted this. Congrats!
Thanks so much for this, Angela! I’ve made this for two weeks in a row now (and eating it for lunch), and I feel like it’s positively changed my weeks! Not only is it delicious, but it’s beautiful and brightens up my afternoons. :) I can’t tell you how many coworkers have walked by and said, “Look at that salad!” Thanks again. :)
There is a Jewish holiday coming up soon where people exchange gifts of food. I want to make this salad to give out this year. Most people give out cakes and cookies, but when I give real food, people are so appreciative!
I would like to prepare the salad in advance. How late in the stage of preparation can the dressing be added? If I did it the night before and kept the salad containers in the fridge, would that be okay, or would it get soggy?
Thanks!
Thanks for the recipe! It is light, crisp and tangy. I love it. :)
Delicious! I’ve made it three times in the past month. I’m sharing my version of the recipe with a link back to yours. Thank you for posting!!!
So, do when do you dress this salad? When you make it, or when you eat it?
Would it taste alright if I made this without the edamame? I’d love to make this for my friend and I but unfortunately she’s allergic to soy. Thank you! xx
I would try subbing chickpeas :)
Do you use forzen edamame?
yes I do :)
Your recipes never disappoint. I added cilantro and a slug of olive oil just to extend the satiation time. So, so good.
Hi! Love this–I’m always looking for things that I can make ahead of time that will give me a week’s worth of dinners (I live alone). Quick question: Does it ok for 5 days with the dressing, or without?
Oops, mean to say “does it stay ok…”
mmmm making these tomorrow. Next WF salad should be the spinach/mandarin orange/cranberry one…
YUM! I’m visiting via Today’s Mama and love the look of this salad. I always appreciate vegan recipes that don’t include nuts because of our household allergies. Since the Whole Foods version is “may contain”, it’s out of the question. But making it myself is totally do-able. Thanks! ~Heidi
Hope you enjoy it Heidi!
Can’t you also sprout the wheatberries and quinoa for a raw meal? I have sprouted quinoa before, and it was deliciously sweet. Sprouting makes the nutrients more bioavailable for tne body.
Hey Terry, yes I’m sure you could, great idea!
This is great! So can any of your salads be “jarred” like this? I love all your salads and I would love to make any of them in a jar.
I can’t see why not :)
Maybe also a sub for wheat berries could be Rice of the Prairies (Cavena Nuda I believe is the official name). That’s good stuff. I haven’t tried wheat berries, yet.
I forgot to grab some fresh ginger at the store, if I were to sub ground ginger- how much should I use?
I would start with 1/4 tsp and adjust from there. Enjoy!
Made this for lunch this week (packed the salad in five containers and the dressing in a sixth) and really liked it! It’s a super-easy idea for work lunches and it kept me full from 12:00 all the way to 5:00, through my hour-long strength training class and then right up to 7:00 or so when I had a chance to have dinner!
Angela,
I want to make this salad but finding wheat berries has been a challenge. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Yum! Do you add the dressing to the jars before putting them in the fridge or do you add it before you eat it? Thanks!
I added it just before I ate it :)
This looks YUMMY!! I will definitely try this myself! I am going to post some recipes on my site too, in the next few weeks. I am loving eating fresh, organic, raw food and feel amazing afterwards! Thanks for sharing! :-)
Perfect pre-workout meal!
Hi! I can’t tell you how excited I am to find these recipes. I am allergic to milk, wheat, corn, eggs, soy, seafood, peanuts, pineapples and a host of other foods. I have struggled and struggled to find recipes that tasted great and allowed me the chance to avoid foods I’m allergic to and…I found this site!
Thanks!!!
Loved that recipe idea, will play with it this week, for the barley, you could have cooked it with th the wheat berries, they both require same water and cooking time.
Thanks for all that you do
Looks delish. Do you cook the edamame? I have never used it before. Thanks!