Serves 4
This is my go-to Kale salad that I’ve been making for years. I change it up a little bit from time to time but the bones of it stay the same. Somehow it’s so good that I never get tired of it. Recently I’ve added Arugula because I think it adds a crisp, peppery flavor. Packed with protein and healthy fats, this salad is a total meal in itself or you can serve it as a side dish. Whenever I make it for friends they want the recipe and I love that it’s truly one of the easiest, most delicious salads to throw together. Feel free to add more or less of any ingredients that you want, I use different nuts all the time (Pistachio's, Pine Nuts, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds etc.) - that’s the beauty of this salad, it’s totally customizable and impossible to mess up! It also doesn’t get soggy so it’s great the second or even third day! In this particular salad I added some leftover grilled chicken from the night before and served it as a meal for dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 large or 2 smaller heads of Kale (I used red leaf but you can use whatever kind you like – curly, Lacinto etc.)
- 1 large bunch Arugula
- 1 Avocado cubed
- ¼-1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup cooked Quinoa
- 3-4 tablespoons black and white Sesame Seeds
- ½ cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil divided
- 3-4 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Aminos
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons Cashew Cream (optional)
- ¼-1/2 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese (for dairy free substitute Nutritional Yeast)
- Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste.
Preparation:
- Rinse Quinoa well and then cook according to instructions on box. I like to use vegetable broth instead of water and a little salt and pepper to give it some flavor. Once Quinoa is done set aside.
- Wash Kale and Arugula and remove stems from kale. Roughly chop both and put in a large bowl.
- Add half the Olive Oil (1/4 cup) and massage until the Kale becomes a deep green color, about 3-5 minutes. Massaging Kale breaks down rough, chewy fibers, making it easier to digest. It also makes the Kale go from bitter to nutty and lightly sweet.
- Add Avocado, Pumpkin Seeds, Quinoa, Vinegar, Coconut Aminos, Lemon Juice, Cashew Cream (optional), Parmesan cheese or Nutritional Yeast, Salt and Pepper.
- Toss to combine – taste and add more Salt, Pepper, Cheese, and Seeds to your liking.
- Enjoy!!!