Kale Quinoa Salad

Prep Time

25 minutes

Cooking Time

N/A

Yields

12 servings

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 5 cups of chopped kale, massaged*
  • 2 tsps. of olive oil (for massaging the kale)*
  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ of a large red onion, diced
  • 4 Persian cucumbers, diced (you don’t need to peel)
  • 1 Red Pepper, diced
  • 25 cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
  • 1/2 cup pistachios or pumpkin seeds, optional
  • Per serving – 1/4 large avocado – diced (do this right before you serve the salad)*

Dressing

  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp date syrup (can use maple syrup)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Everything Bagel seasoning
  • Dash Chipotle powder (to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Once ready, allow it to fully cool.
  2. Put kale in a large bowl and massage it well with 2 tsps. of olive oil for about 1 minute. Let it rest while you make the dressing.
  3. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Mix well, taste it and add any salt and pepper to taste – more chipotle too if you like it a little spicier. Set aside.
  4. To the bowl with the kale, add the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, onion, cucumbers, red pepper, and tomatoes. Add 5 tablespoons of dressing and mix well. If you need more dressing – add in and mix well. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. *
  5. Top with pistachios or pumpkin seeds, if using. For each serving – top with 1/4 large avocado or 1/3 small, chopped.

*Notes

Massage the kale: After you have chopped up your kale, massage it with just a small amount (2 tsps) of olive oil to make it tender! This is the key to transforming kale leaves from tough and fibrous to a more tender bite while also removing bitterness.

For the best flavor: Leave the salad to rest for 10-15 minutes for all the flavors to meld and marinate.

Avocado – I don’t add the avocado until the last minute, and sometimes I will just put it on the side for people to add. That way, if you have leftover salad, it won’t have “old” avocado in it!

Protein – This salad already gives you a good amount of salad (from the quinoa and the garbanzo beans, but if you like, you could add more protein of your choice. I can see it with roasted tofu or grilled salmon!