What are the things we're loving at the Infomedia office right now? Salad in a Jar (we teach you how to make it), Piper & Leaf tea and Yeti mugs make an appearance on this week's Trending at Infomedia rundown.
There’s no denying it — here at Infomedia, we love geeking out about our favorite things. Yeah, sometimes those things include a great new piece of code or the latest happenings from Google (Alphabet … what?!), but sometimes our latest passions are as simple as a good lunch or a cool, refreshing drink. So what are the things we can’t stop talking about right now?
Salad in a Jar
Meet the newest character in our office: Salad in a Jar. Mary Katherine and I are incredibly dedicated to this Pinterest-inspired way of prepping healthy lunches, and every time one of us opens a jar, a little crowd surrounds us to watch the spectacle. So, what exactly is salad in a jar, and where do you get one? It’s exactly what it sounds like — all the ingredients to a salad, stuffed into a jar. You can make them really easily at home, and because they last for a week or so, they’re great to make on the weekend so you’ll have lunches ready without prep for the rest of the work week.
There are no real rules for making salad in a jar, except … there kind of are rules. You can pretty much throw in whatever you like, but be sure to follow these guidelines to be sure your greens stay crisp:
- Wet stuff (like salad dressing) goes in first — on the bottom of the jar. (I use three tablespoons of a really basic vinaigrette made of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but use whatever you like.)
- Protein goes in next — use tofu, chicken, beef, or anything else that would benefit from marinating in that salad dressing for awhile.
- Layer it up — add whatever ingredients you like, but be sure your driest ingredient goes on top so it’s closest to your greens (they’re less likely to wilt if they’re not wet).
- Pack in greens — seriously, you really need to stuff this jar full of salad greens. Add so many greens that you don’t even understand how they’re all fitting in the jar. Add them until they’re literally popping out the top of the jar, like a really healthy Jack-in-the-Box made entirely of leaves. (That’s kind of a creepy image. Sorry.)
- Eat it! These keep in the fridge for a few days, and they travel super well. When it’s time to eat, dump the whole thing into a bowl and amaze your coworkers.
Piper & Leaf
I’m totally obsessed with this Huntsville-based tea company, and I’ve been spreading my dedication to all things Piper & Leaf around the office. Now several of us tote in mason jars filled with this crazy-delicious, super-healthy tea. Our favorite flavor is Old Fashioned Birthday Cake, but don’t worry — we’re committed to trying them all. (You can find Piper & Leaf in Birmingham at the Pepper Place Farmer’s Market on Saturdays or throughout the week on their website or at The Abbey in Avondale.)
Yeti Mugs
Leslie is in LOVE with her Yeti mug. After taking a beach trip with her family, she couldn’t stop talking about her dad’s Yeti: “There was still ice in the cup the next day, you guys — the next day!” is something I heard, oh, a few hundred times. Thankfully, Leslie got her hands on her own Yeti, and she hasn’t stopped sipping La Croix out of it (and singing its praises) ever since.
Good People
I’m not sure who the magic beer fairy is who keeps stocking the office mini fridge with Good People, but I appreciate it. At the end of a long day, it’s nice to head outside with a can of Pale Ale or Coffee Oatmeal Stout and enjoy a chat with whichever coworker is still at work after hours (spoiler alert: if anybody’s here after hours, it’s usually hardworking Pam).
To semi-quote The Sound of Music, these are a few of our favorite things right now. If you love something you think we should know about, leave it in comments or let us know through our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages — you can also keep us with us there to get up-to-the-minute updates on new tech ideas, Camp Infomedia life, and what we’re geeking out about right now.
