Crispy Quinoa & Kale Salad with Avocado Vinaigrette

We left boring salads in 2022. Honestly, we are no longer dousing lettuce and croutons in dressing and calling it a salad. Okay okay, technically I know that is a salad, but it’s not a very flavorful or satisfying one. Instead try this kale salad loaded with flavor! It has a homemade dressing that is just divine. I used to be intimidated to make my own salad dressings, but the more I play around with them the more I recognize that you can throw simple things together, blend them up with some vinegar and oil, and make a pretty decent dressing. BUT… this dressing is not decent, it’s incredible. The flavor from the roasted jalapeno is mild yet bold, and mixed with the creamy avocado it’s just divine.

Wait wait wait… we haven’t even gotten to the best part. The crispy quinoa. OMG. Why have I never made this?! It adds such a fun flare to salad. You simply cook the quinoa how you normally would, then transfer it to a baking sheet with some oil and spices, and crisp it up to make a crunchy topping. Yum!

Although that already seems like a lot of flavor, we can’t miss out on the classic salad toppings. Tomato, onion, cucumber, and obviously freshly shaved parmesan cheese. I used to be a “salads only in the summer” girly (the weather definitely dictates what food I’m craving), but I could, would, and will eat this salad anytime of the year.

Author: Leslie Bobo, RDN

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Crispy Quinoa & Kale Salad w Avocado Vinaigrette

This fabulous salad has so many flavors from the crispy quinoa to the homemade avocado and jalapeno vinaigrette. It's loaded with flavor and is a salad you will want to have over and over again!

Ingredients

Crispy Quinoa

• Crispy quinoa:
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Salt + pepper

Avocado Jalapeno Vinaigrette

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 jalapeño
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup water
• Pinch of salt

Salad + Toppings

• ~4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cucumber cubed
• 1 roma tomato cubed
• 1/4 red onion finely diced
• Fresh shaved parmesan

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to packed instructions (always rinse before cooking). Place 1 cup cooked quinoa on parchment lined baking sheet. Mix in olive oil, cumin, turmeric, dash of salt and pepper. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove and sit aside to let cool for salad topping.
2. For the dressing, you’ll need to roast the jalapeño. If you have a gas grill you can roast the it directly on the stove top, turning until each side is blackened. If you do not have a gas stove stop, place it on a foil lined baking sheet and broil on high. Turn until each side is roasted. Immediately place in an air tight bag or container to let steam for 10-15 minutes. Remove blackened outside, cut in half, and remove seeds. Place 1/2 the jalapeño (you can use the whole thing but I can’t handle the heat!) and the rest of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Place kale in a bowl and drizzle with oil, massage for ~20 seconds. Add rest of toppings, crispy quinoa, dressing, and some fresh shaved parmesan.

www.thegatheringpage.com /recipes/cripsy-quinoa-kale-salad-avocado-vinaigrette

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