A Kale and Quinoa Salad fit for a wedding. It’s a pretty salad: bright greens with pops of red and white. It’s tasty and filling and makes you feel good about what you just ate.
Leading up to our family wedding, I had the bride and groom (my son) over for a meal of potential side dishes to serve at their rehearsal dinner. They chose this gluten-free, healthy option to go alongside a couple of decadent, carby, cheesy sides. With a little help from my mom and sister, we were able to mass produce all of the options and serve up a fun meal including Chick Fil A nuggets at our outdoor rehearsal celebration the day before the big event.
When friends and family gather for a celebration, the food defines the event. Serving a crowd is a responsibility in pleasing the tastebuds as well as meeting dietary needs. This gluten free option can also be dairy free by omitting the cheese.
Change Up the Flavors of Kale and Quinoa Salad
What’s fun about this salad is its versatility. Any dried fruit, nut, or cheese can be used. I prefer toasting whatever nuts go into a salad. It takes away the chewiness and adds a flaky crunch. This can be done by placing the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and warming in a low oven (250°-300°) for 5-15 minutes, checking frequently. Shredded parmesan works for the cheese, and dried cherries would be a decadent addition.
Tell me in the comments what you tried and how it turned out!
Kale and Quinoa Salad
Warm quinoa for the first serving is good; leftovers are great cold
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 c. Kale washed, massaged with olive oil and salt, and chopped
- 1/2 c quinoa cooked and cooled
- 1/3 c dried cranberries
- 1/4 c almonds toasted
- 1/4 c goat cheese or feta cheese
Dressing
- 1/4 c. Olive oil
- 1/8 c. Balsamic vinegar
- 1 T berry jam
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 1 T sugar or honey
Instructions
- Strip kale from stems, wash and spin dry, and massage with 1/2 t olive oil and 1/2 t coarse salt. This will soften and season the kale to give it a perfect texture and taste in your salad.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Either chill it after it is cooked, or serve it warm with the salad. Leftovers that are mixed into the greens will (obviously) be eaten chilled.
- Combine all salad ingredients. Complete freedom to sub raisins or apricots for the dried cranberries; pecans or walnuts for the almonds; or your favorite cheese.
- Mix all dressing ingredients, shake or whisk well.
- If dressing has a bite, cut it with more oil and Dijon. Dress the salad with just part of the dressing, and decide if you want to add it all.
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