Kale is something I haven't had much of throughout the winter. It was a little pricey and the bunches were small. The other day I found big fresh bunches of kale at my local grocer for a great price. I picked one up.
I really like to eat raw kale but I have to blend it with other things. I also chop it really fine so that the dressing can coat it nicely.
I know many people that wouldn't consider it food. In fact I often see it as an ornamental plant on lawns and even in parks. Quite a few people here would walk by and think nothing of it. When I see a kale plant, I get an appetite for it.
I have made a multi colored quinoa to go with the salad. Quinoa is said to be very nutrient rich and high in protein. It's eaten like a grain but it's actually a seed. It's easy to cook and works great with a dressing. I sometimes eat it hot like rice on the side of something but I really like it in a salad.
Kale Quinoa Salad
6 cups chopped kale
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 carrot
1/2 English cucumber
1/4 cup diced onion
Roasted sunflower seeds
To cook quinoa, use 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups water. Bring water to a boil, add quinoa and stir. Turn down to low heat and when the water is almost absorbed, take off the heat and cover for a few minutes. In this case I put it in the fridge to cool after the water was completely absorbed. You can cook this in vegetable broth instead of water for extra flavor. This is what I have done. My homemade broth is not that salty so the salt from the dressing won't make it too salty.
Vinaigrette
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
Juice of a lemon
2 cloves garlic
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of oregano
Dash of black pepper
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
Salt to taste
Mix the ingredients in a blender or processor. If you whisk it by hand you should mince the garlic very fine. You could use a pinch of onion or garlic powder instead. I like fresh garlic for this kind of salad.
Since kale can be tough and bitter, I add a drizzle of dressing to the kale and mix it while I chop the other items. It slightly marinates it making it more enjoyable and flavorful.
Then gently add the quinoa.
I like to add sunflower seeds or nuts to my kale salad. For this I used sunflower seeds. If you want optimum nutritional use raw seeds. I went for the flavor of the seeds by toasting them in a hot pan. The pan needs to be shaken constantly until they are nice and golden. Toasting them brings out a nutty flavor which really adds to the enjoyment of the salad.
I plated the salad on a bed of baby greens which I first drizzled with a bit of the dressing.
It was a topped with micro greens as well.
This was lunch and believe it or not it was very filling and satisfying. It is often eaten as a starter but this was enough for a whole dinner.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.