Vegan, gluten-free, delicious and so easy to put together! You will love this salad made with “super foods” kale and quinoa!
Ingredients:
2 c cooked quinoa (see instructions below for how to cook this marvelous seed)
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed (about 1/2 c at most)
1 bunch Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan, or dinosaur kale)
Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
3 fresh oranges (I used blood oranges, but you can use tangerines or whatever types of oranges you have at home)
1 TBSP gluten-free tamari/soy sauce (I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
1 TBSP honey, agave, or brown rice syrup
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c roasted almonds (I used organic tamari roasted almonds today)
Instructions:
1. To cook the quinoa — first wash the quinoa very well. To accomplish this, you will need a very fine mesh sieve. Measure out your quinoa into the sieve and wash under cold running water until the water runs clear. I always cook my quinoa in vegetable stock, as it makes the final product much more flavorful, but you can certainly use water if you like. One cup of quinoa to about 1 1/4 cups of water (so for this recipe, you will start with 2 cups of quinoa and about 2 1/2 cups of stock or water). Bring the stock or water to a boil, then add the washed quinoa and turn heat down a bit. Cook over moderate heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. For this recipe, drizzle with about 1/4 cup of olive oil once you take it off the heat, fluff and set aside.
2. Wash and dry the kale. Some of the larger leaves will have a thick rib in the center. I recommend cutting that out — just fold the leaf in half and slice the rib off. For the smaller leaves, it is fine to leave the ribs intact. Chop the leaves and put into a large bowl. Add 1/4 c (or a little less) olive oil, a few grinds of sea salt (you will taste to season again later), and then “massage” the oil and salt mixture into the kale leaves. Use your hands! Have fun. Kale is a hearty green and it holds up well to this treatment. Set aside while you prepare the dressing.
3. Peel 2 of the oranges, and separate into sections. Set aside.
4. Juice the 3rd orange and combine that juice with the tamari, honey, black pepper, ginger and garlic. Whisk until well blended. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss to combine.
5. Add the kale to the quinoa and toss together. Mix in the orange sections, and taste for seasoning. I added a bit more salt to mine, but that is how I like it. We kept the almonds on the side today for those who have nut allergies. If you are not concerned with allergies, mix the roasted almonds in with the oranges.
6. Enjoy!
