The original inspiration for this salad came from Smitten Kitchen. I’ve had to make several changes to accommodate the availability of ingredients in our rural area. The end result was a hit with the family and I’ve made it several times since.

Kale Quinoa Salad

Ingredients – Dressing

• 4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  

  Kale Quinoa Salad

• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Salad Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of kale (I’ve used both the curly kale and the dinosaur (aka Lacinator) kale.
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 bunch of scallions, sliced part ways up into the green stalk.
• 5 oz bag dried tart cherries (my daughter used cranberries instead)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted until light brown and cool.
• Feta Cheese – crumbled
• Lemon zest gratings

Put it All Together

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups boiling water and a 1/4 tsp. sea salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Rinse quinoa well in cold water and drain. Set aside.
2. Rinse and dry the kale. Remove the leaves from the stalks, discarding the stalks. Finely chop the kale and put in a large bowl.  (Do make sure it is chopped finely. )
3. Add the quinoa, scallions, cherries, almonds and mix well.
4. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the dressing. Grate some lemon zest over the salad. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
5. Add the Feta cheese to the individual servings.
6. This servers 3-4 as a meal or several smaller servings if used as a side.

Surprisingly, this salad will keep well in the refrigerator for a day.