Protein Packed Quinoa + Kale Salad Recipe
Protein Packed Quinoa + Kale Salad
Quinoa Kale Salad
I cannot believe it will be two years this July since my family and I have up and moved from California to New Jersey, where my husband and I both grew up. Being close to family and lifelong friends again has been amazing but I do miss many of the perks that came with living in Southern California (think beaches, mountains, hikes, perfect weather, farmers markets everyday of the week and being surrounded with amazing fresh, beautiful food at all times).
This simple, flavorful salad is my attempt at remaking one of the salads I like to buy at Nectar. It’s light and fresh so it makes a great lunch on it’s own or as a side dish for a larger meal. The combination of the quinoa, nuts, and seeds give this salad a great punch of plant based protein which also makes this a great post workout meal.
For those of you who like to do some meal prep on the weekend, you’re definitely going to want to add this to your rotation. It holds up really well in the fridge and will still taste great after 3-4 days (side note: if you do plan to use it as a head-start meal try holding the nuts and seeds and then sprinkling them on top when you are ready to eat. this keeps them nice and crunchy.).
To watch the step-by-step demonstration for this recipe be sure to check out the video below. And let me know if you have thoughts, tips, or questions down in the comments below.
Protein Packed Quinoa + Kale Salad
Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups kale
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp. sunflower seeds
- 3 tbsp. slivered almonds
- 3 tbsp. dried cranberries
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place kale in the bottom of a large bowl and add warm quinoa on top (this will wilt the kale just a bit).
In a separate bowl, whisk together garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over quinoa and kale mixture and combine well.
Sprinkle in the sunflower seeds, almonds, and cranberries. Gently toss. Serve and enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis
Nutrients per 3/4-cup: Calories: 336; Total Fat: 16.3g; Carbohydrate: 41g; Fiber: 5.7g Sugars: 5.3g; Protein: 9g