Quinoa Kale Salad
Massaged kale tossed with quinoa, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy tahini dressing — a nutrient-packed salad that's become a weekly staple.
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 0 min
- Total Time
- 15 min
- Servings
- 6 servings
Fun fact: kale has more nutritional value per calorie than any other food. I remember reading that the first time and going back to read it again, just stunned. No wonder the nutrition crowd is so obsessed with it.
I learned to massage kale during a culinary nutrition program, and it turned out to be strangely relaxing — like watching something dense and stubborn slowly soften and relax under your hands, kind of like a good massage in reverse.
My mom is a huge kale salad fan, so I made a big batch and split it with her the first time I tried this. It's been a weekly staple for both of us ever since.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 bunches organic kale
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup tahini
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp. coconut aminos
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- 1For the dressing: combine all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth.
- 2Combine the kale, lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt in a large bowl.
- 3Massage the kale with clean hands for 5-7 minutes, until it turns dark green and softens.
- 4Add the cooked quinoa, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, and dressing.
- 5Toss together until well combined. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
