Delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad
Ana's Corner
With summer upon us, it's time to turn off the oven and make some cooler recipes, like this Delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad. Full of super foods and a delicious blend of flavors, this salad will be a hit with everyone who likes their veggies (even my two-year-old loves it!).
Delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad
2/3 cup quinoa
1 1/3 cup water
1 bunch kale, torn into bite-size pieces (I tear off the thicker parts of the stem)
1 large pepper of choice, diced (I prefer red, or sometimes I just a large handful of the smaller sweet peppers)
1/2 cucumber, diced
1/4 small onion, diced finely (sometimes I use sweet onions, sometimes I use purple onions)
1 avocado
Feta cheese
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Bring the quinoa and water to boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until all water is absorbed (15-20 minutes).
Steam the kale (this removes some of the bitterness, you don't have to steam it). I put my kale in the glass bowl I'm using for the salad, still wet from rinsing. Then I cover the bowl with saran wrap (with one corner lifted) and put in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. Chop all the other veggies and add to the kale. I leave the avocado and the feta off of the salad until it's ready to be eaten. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and then drizzle over the kale/veggies. Once the quinoa is done, stir that in as well (I do it while it's still hot--this also softens the kale). My husband doesn't eat veggies so I make this big bowl of salad and eat it throughout the week. I just add chopped avocado and feta to each bowl as I eat it so that the salad stays fresher. This salad is delicious served cold, but I actually really enjoy it served warm as well (especially on chilly days). I heat each bowl of salad for one minute in the microwave (with the avocado and feta on it) and the warm, gooey goodness is just too yummy to be true!
We've got lots of fun ideas!
