Kale & Quinoa Salad with Apple Lime Vinaigrette

kale & quinoa salad with apple lime vinaigrette

Have you had kale?  How about quinoa?  I know some strange names… but they’re so good for you.  Kale is from the cabbage family is is one of the most nutritious vegetables.   It’s chock full of vitamins such as A, E, C & K  and is  hearty and filling.  I talked about quinoa’s health benefits in a previous quinoa salad  recipe post.  It’s high in protein and is mild in flavor.  This super duo is paired with a sweet and tangy Fuji apple & Lime Vinaigrette. 

Derrick and I are trying to make healthier food choices.  It’s been pretty hard considering that we both love to eat, enjoy trying new restaurants, and I love to bake (with bacon occasionally).  So this recipe is an attempt to add a healthy but flavorful dish to our routine.  You have to try this salad if you’re  trying to eat better or looking for ways to amp up your meals with good for you things.   This kale and quinoa salad is satisfying and delicious.  I’ve added shredded carrots, apples and almonds for some extra color, crunch and nutrition.  The great thing is that you can make this salad ahead of time and it’s good to go the next day.  It’s important to let the raw kale marinate in the vinaigrette overnight to help soften the leaves.  It’s perfect for entertaining, pot lucks and parties.  It’s so simple and the flavors are bright and cheery. 

 

grater for apple lime vinaigrette

This is what I used to grate the apple. It's fits over a small bowl to catch all of the apple bits and juice.

 

kale and quinoa salad with apple lime vinaigrette

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

17 comments

  1. amy says:

    YAY!! the post is UP!!! Thank yoU!! Everybody needs to make this salad. ITS ABSoluteLY Delicious!!! Thank you for sharing your salad with me. Can’t wait to make it tomorrow. 😀

  2. kitchenrunway says:

    Yay! I’m so glad you like the salad and that you’re making the salad tomorrow! Woothoo! I agree – everybody needs to try this salad! 🙂

  3. amy says:

    its marinating right now! It only cost me $8 to buy kale/almonds/carrots (&ciabatta bread) @ trader joes. Everything else was all in my cupboard/fridge. yay. can’t wait to try it tomorrow morning. Thank you again!

  4. kitchenrunway says:

    Diane & Susan: Thank you!! Definitely fresh at great for summer!

    Amy: Yay! I say $8 to feed 4 to 6 ppl is a pretty great deal (considering you also bought ciabatta bread) Hope you love it!! Woot hoo!

  5. urvashee (Dessarts) says:

    We’ve completely turned around our diet in the last few months. It’s a challenge since we are vegetarian. Kale and quinoa are both items that I’ve been trying to incorperate into meals. I’m definitely going to try out this salad soon! It looks delish.

  6. kitchenrunway says:

    Urvashee: We need to reconsider our diet too… the problem is I have absolutely no discipline… I find it so hard to resist cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream. Well the list is too long to type out 🙂 So when I make something that’s full of good stuff like kale & quinoa – I’m so proud of myself! Hope you like the salad! Thank you!

  7. kitchenrunway says:

    Tammi Kibler @ How do you cook quinoa: Thank you! I can’t wait until you try the apple vinaigrette! 🙂

  8. Nina says:

    I’m looking for this apple grater for last decade ! Where did you buy it? I used to have one similar to yours and I really need it.

  9. kitchenrunway says:

    Hi Nina! I love this grater! I use it for everything – daikon, ginger, apples! I bought mine from a Japanese market (Marukai in Costa Mesa, CA) Good luck – I hope you find one in your area!

  10. Kristi Rimkus says:

    I’m a big fan of kale and quinoa. I have several recipes on my own blog, but this salad beats them all. Truly delish. I was surprised to see the whole bowl of salad gone before the roast beef. Have a wonderful new year!

  11. kitchenrunway says:

    Kristi: Me too! Love kale & quinoa! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Woothoo – it beat roast beef! That’s quite the accomplishment! Take care and happy new year to you too!!

  12. VegCook says:

    Some changes I would make — Way too salty vinaigrette to me. Next time I make this, I will use way less salt. Also, it was quite wet, so I would advise pouring in some of the liquid, stirring and then seeing if you need more. A little goes a long way in flavor. I also doubled the amount of quinoa to make it more hearty. I also added a touch of organic cran-apple juice to lighten the lime taste a bit. Balanced it out nicely. Very yummy! Thanks for the inspiration!

  13. jen says:

    So far I’ve made this salad 3 times and it’s been a hit each time. Thanks so much for sharing. Family and friends love it!

Leave a Reply