The warmer temps are finally here in New England, which means I’ll be dining ‘al fresco’ any chance I get.
I love having a nice healthy salad during the summer and this Kale & Quinoa Citrus Salad is one of my favorites. It is also great to bring to a BBQ to enjoy as a side dish or even as a meal (for my vegetarian friends).
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Tuscan kale
- Quinoa
- Orange
- Roasted almonds
- Goat cheese
- Lemon
- EVOO
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- Honey
I’ve always been a big fan of making my own dressings. The store bought ones can contain sneaky ingredients like processed sugars, trans fats, and artificial flavors. I also prefer the taste of homemade dressings, they are so much fresher!
The salad profile is also on point, even for those non-quinoa, non-kale lovers:
- Crunchy
- Hearty
- Citrus-y
- Slightly Sweet
- Refreshing
To prep your salad, you will need to cook the quinoa (per the directions on the box/bag) and give it enough time to cool down. I cooked 1/2 cup of dry quinoa which makes about 1 cup of cooked quinoa. You can also prepare your oranges by chopping them into bite sized pieces and letting them chill until you are ready to prep the rest of your salad.
- 1 bunch of Tuscan kale
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 1 orange, cup up into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup of roasted almonds
- ¼ cup of crumbled goat cheese
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp of honey
- Cook quinoa per instructions on box
- Once quinoa has been cooked, set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes then transfer to a salad bowl
- Chop Kale into bite sized pieces and add to bowl
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well
- Let chill in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight
- Add more EVOO if too dry and serve chilled
- Store leftovers in fridge for up to 2 days
What I love most about this salad is that it sits well overnight. Unlike most lettuces, kale is hearty and will not get soggy from the dressing. So you can prep this the night before and store it in the fridge for leftovers the next day.
Enjoy!
