This Kale and Quinoa Salad showcases two nutritional powerhouse ingredients! With a tangy lemon dressing and crunchy pumpkin seeds, it makes a great main course salad on a hot summer day, or a side dish for a barbeque or potluck party.
Massage your kale!
Massage the kale with your hands to break down the fiber, making it more pleasant to eat. The massage also gives the kale a brighter emerald color and helps the kale absorb the oil and lemon juice dressing.
You can use regular quinoa or tri-color rainbow quinoa.
You might also want to try this Outstanding Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Pesto and Apricots.
Mind your Ks and Qs with kale and quinoa salad!
Make it a wonderful week–get in the kitchen and make yourself a healthy salad!
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Kale and Quinoa Salad
This healthy salad can be varied in myriad ways using vegetables and grains of your choice. Makes 8 to 10 servings, depending on what you put in your salad.
Servings: 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tri-color or regular quinoa
- ½ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice , or rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- Large pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 bunch curly kale , washed
- 4 each green onions , chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa. In a saucepan, bring the water and ½ teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Let stand and allow to cool 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Make a dressing with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, remaining salt and cayenne. Set aside.
- Strip and discard the stems from the kale—them chop into ¼-inch by 1-inch strips. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the kale and massage theleaves with your hands, until the leaves are darker and have reduced in volumeby about one-third.
- Add the cooled quinoa to the bowl. Add the green onions, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds.
- Pour the vinaigrette on top and toss everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. This salad keepswell, chilled, for several days.
Notes
- Vary this salad according to what you have on hand. Start with 2 cups of any cooked grain. Add your personal mix of crunchy and leafy vegetables, including a flavorful allium, like garlic scapes, green onions, or chopped chives. Dress with a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing.
- To wilt your kale, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. If you don’t want to use a microwave, blanch the kale in boiling water, then shock it in ice water to keep the bright green color.
Nutrition
Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1791IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @lettyskitchen or tag #lettyskitchen
The pictures in your blog make such a cheerful difference, Letty. Of course, I appreciate being mentioned now and then, too. I’m glad you added protein and didn’t go the Asian dark sesame oil route (as in the emerald kale salad at Whole Foods) because now I have a completely new-tasting salad recipe to prepare ultra-nutritious kale. · 6 July, 2012
I just made the kale and quinoa salad. It is wonderful and is going to be a staple from now on in my house! I’ve been eating my garden kale in regular salads along with everything else in the garden and this is a nice change of pace! · 12 July, 2012
Bringing this dish to our garden club Harvest Dinner meeting tomorrow. My kale is going gangbusters in the garden with all the rain, and now cool weather.
Thanks for the recipe:-) · 1 September, 2014
Thanks back to you. I love this recipe. I just went in and updated it so you can print the recipe–check it out. · 1 September, 2014