Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad

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I prefer shopping the perimeter of the grocery store, which is where the real foods tend to hang out – produce, dairy, bread/bakery, and meats.  We try the 80-20 approach … 80% of the time we eat real foods and 20% (or less) of the time we eat prepared foods, snacks, etc.  My children have taken to reading the ingredients on the packaged goods that we purchase, and I ask them, if they can’t sound it out, should they eat it?  We’ve agreed that real foods don’t have ingredients that wouldn’t be in our own home pantry, so when we shop together we often read ingredients and see what is in the food we are purchasing.

There is only one time we tend to break that rule … Don’t eat foods you can’t pronounce, unless it is QUINOA.  Eat quinoa!

Quinoa is a whole grain and a complete protein.  It is naturally gluten free (bonus).  Quinoa also has so many uses from being a great substitution for rice in a lot of recipes, to being a hearty and nutrient dense breakfast in place of oatmeal.  Its also delicious cold in salads.

That is the direction we are going today – a cold Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad.

While this salad has a bit of prep to it, cooking all of the ingredients in advance, it only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, so don’t be intimidated.

Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad

First, prepare the cooking liquid for your quinoa.  You will need 1 1/2 cups of water, a heavy pinch of kosher salt, lemon zest (about 1/4 of a lemon’s worth), and a sprinkle of garlic powder.  Bring the liquid to a boil; then add 3/4 cup of quinoa.  Cover the pot, drop the heat, and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the cooking liquid has been absorbed.  

While the quinoa is cooking, sauté the red onion, garlic, grape tomatoes (or chopped large tomatoes with seeds removed), and chopped kale using 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Put a lid on it, and allow the kale to wilt down.

While the kale is wilting, combine the Litehouse Organic Ranch dressing, capers, fresh basil, salt & pepper in a large salad bowl.  Add the sautéed vegetables and fully cooked quinoa (make sure there is no water remaining) to the salad bowl.  

Toss the salad together to combine all of the flavors.  Enjoy warm or chilled.  When you are ready to serve your Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad, top it with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.

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Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad

My Mediterranean Kale & Quinoa Salad was inspired by the Roasted Kale Chips & Quinoa Salad by Dr Janet Brill.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• heavy pinch of kosher salt
• lemon zest 1/4 of a lemon's worth
• garlic powder to taste
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups quartered grape tomatoes or chopped tomatoes with the seeds removed
• 8 cups cleaned & chopped kale
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Litehouse Organic Ranch salad dressing
• 1 Tbsp petit capers
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• Litehouse feta cheese crumbles for garnish

Instructions

1. First, prepare the cooking liquid for your quinoa. You will need 1 1/2 cups of water, a heavy pinch of kosher salt, lemon zest (about 1/4 of a lemon’s worth), and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add 3/4 cup of quinoa. Cover the pot, drop the heat, and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, saute the red onion, garlic, grape tomatoes (or chopped large tomatoes with seeds removed), and chopped kale using 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put a lid on it, and allow the kale to wilt down.
3. While the kale is wilting, combine the Litehouse Organic Ranch salad dressing, capers, fresh basil, salt & pepper in a large salad bowl. Add the sautéed vegetables and fully cooked quinoa (make sure there is no water remaining) to the salad bowl.
4. Toss the salad together to combine all of the flavors. Enjoy warm or chilled. When you are ready to serve, top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.