Superfood Kale Salad
I love a loaded salad and this superfood kale salad is just that! A big bunch of massaged kale is topped with quinoa, carrot ribbons, edamame, peanuts, cranberries and green onions and is tossed in a maple ginger vinaigrette. Add grilled chicken, steak or tofu if you’d like but it’s very filling on it’s own.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled into long ribbons
- 1/2 cup edamame, cooked
- 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked according to package
- 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 green onions, chopped
Directions:
Combined all ingredients in a bowl, drizzle the superfood kale salad with dressing and toss until coated. To make carrot ribbons just use a vegetable peeler. This is my favorite peeler, it takes some getting used to but I find it easier than the traditional design. But This one is great if you prefer the traditional design.
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp grainy mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Add all ingredients to a jar and shake until combined.
The art of making a salad
Think of the greens as your canvas. It’s blank to start and just waiting to be painted with colorful flavors. You can add just about anything to a salad. So get creative, check your pantry for nuts, seeds, dried fruit, grains and beans. Check the freezer for frozen veggies such as peas, corn or edamame. Use up whatever veggies, fruits and cheeses you have in the refrigerator. Salads are a great way to clear the decks before shopping again.
If there are ingredients in this salad that you don’t like or are allergic to, swap them out. For example, my friend has a peanut allergy so I would use almonds or cashews instead of peanuts if I were making this for him. But my cousin is allergic to everything but peanuts, so this salad is safe for her. Dried tart cherries are a great swap for cranberries. Farrow or couscous instead of quinoa and so on. You can also swap the greens. Not everyone likes kale…(ahem, dad) use spinach (with stems removed for a certain someone…rhymes with sad) or arugula instead.
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Don’t be afraid of trying different combinations or flavors and most importantly, have fun!
