Salad in a Jar with Lentils and Feta Cheese

1 medium orange bell pepper, halved and seeded

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt, to taste

Large pinch ground black pepper

1 medium (2-inch) cooked beet, cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup cooked green lentils

3 very thin slices red onion

⅓ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, about 1½ ounces

5 grape tomatoes, halved

2 cups baby or wild arugula, lightly packed

Set rack near top of oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Place pepper halves cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast 30 minutes, or until skins are mostly blackened and blistered. Place peppers in small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. Peel peppers and chop them into ¾-inch pieces.

In wide-mouth 1 quart canning jar, combine oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Using fork, stir vigorously to combine them. Add beets, arranging them to cover bottom of jar. Add lentils, then chopped roasted pepper. Separate onion into rings and make layer, using as many of them as you like. Arrange feta on top of onions.

Place tomato halves in a ring, pressing cut sides against sides of jar, leaving feta uncovered in center. Fill remaining space in jar with arugula. Cover jar tightly. Salad will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To serve, empty contents of jar into large bowl and, using fork, toss to combine.

Serves one.

Nutrition values per serving: 471 calories, 20 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 17 g fiber, 535 mg sodium.

Dana Jacobi, American Institute for Cancer Research