Recipes: Citrus Kale Quinoa Salad

Kale! This verdurous vegetable was super trendy last year (isn't it bizarre how vegetables can be trendy? They're not an accessory or a haircut, yet they still alternate times in the culinary spotlight) and still super healthy, so I've been trying to find easy ways to incorporate it into meals.

I'll let you in on a dark, personal secret of mine: I don't really like kale that much. In fact, I used to hate it. Avoided at all costs. Yet I quickly began to understand that I could no longer avoid this tough, dense yet naturally beneficial creature. High in vitamins A, K and C, kale has almost 3 grams of protein per serving, helps lower cholesterol and provides anti-cancer benefits through anti-oxidants.

Go organic when purchasing (I always suggest organic, especially with produce where you consume the skin, however I know it's an expensive endeavor), kale is also a notoriously dirty vegetable in terms of pesticides so it's important to wash it well before eating.

Check it out!

4 medium leaves Lacinato kale (use whatever type you prefer)

orange

lemon

quinoa (I made one serving's worth, about 1/4 cup dry quinoa)

olive oil

carrots

sliced almonds

~To make quinoa, follow directions on packaging (I used 1/4 cup quinoa and and about 1/2 cup water, heated until boiling, then simmered on low for about 15 minutes, until the little white curly tails start to hang off).

~Thoroughly wash kale and pat dry. I prefer to cut out the stems from the kale as they're often tough to chew. Roll up all the leaves together and chop into thin short strips, then cut perpendicularly to those strips to really dice up the kale. Set aside in bowl.

~Squeeze juice out of lemon and orange, I used 2 parts orange: 1 part lemon and added about a tsp of olive oil.

~Pour citrus mix over the chopped kale, let marinate for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

~Chop carrots and fold them into the kale mixture.

~Mix quinoa, carrots, marinated kale, almonds, and any leftover citrus dressing into larger bowl. Stir well and enjoy!

Kale is also delicious when sautéed with a little bit of balsamic vinegar and freshly shredded parmesan. Then again, what isn't improved by balsamic and cheese?

xo