Overhead shot of this Kale and Quinoa Salad

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I’m gonna be super basic, and post this Kale and Quinoa Salad. This is what I actually eat during the week, and it’s delicious! All of the different textures and flavors make this Kale and Quinoa Salad something special. I originally had this salad at a local restaurant called The Juice Bar, and I fell in love! I never knew I could like something so healthy! It’s hearty and refreshing, and it doesn’t feel like you are eating a boring salad.

BONUS: It keeps for days, and actually tastes better the longer it sits. It’s prefect for meal prepping. I take this salad for lunch almost everyday during the week. It keeps me full and satisfied without feeling bogged down. (P.S. I love these Bento Box meal prep containers, and they are SOO affordable!)

So I recently got engaged (a little over a month ago), and I am of course trying to lose some weight before the big day. I really just need to shed a few pounds in general, but the wedding is good motivation. For this reason you will be seeing a lot more healthy recipe posts. These recipes will be approachable and realistic for any beginner, and I am exciting to share about my weight loss journey, and the recipes behind it!

Kale and Quinoa Salad

This Kale and Quinoa Salad is perfect for meal prepping for lunches during the week!

Author: The Hungry Waitress
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

Quinoa

1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon Dressing

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 Tablespoon honey (sub | maple syrup or sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad

8 cups fresh kale
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Optional Additions

Nuts or seeds (sunflower, cashews, toasted almonds)
Chopped Parsley
Chopped peppers
Feta Cheese
Goat Cheese

Instructions

Quinoa

Pour 1 cup of broth, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small pot over high heat.
Once the liquid comes to a boil add 1/2 cup of quinoa, stir twice, cover with a lid, and turn the heat to low.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Salad

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon, 1 Tablespoon honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt)
Pour 1/3 cup of the dressing into a separate bowl, and set aside for later use.
Dump all of the kale into a huge bowl, and pour the remaining dressing (not the 1/3 cup reserved) in with the kale and massage it down using your hands for about 3-4 minutes (that’s right! Literally massage the dressing into the kale to break down the fibrous texture!).
Add the black beans, cooked quinoa, tomatoes, dried cranberries, reserved 1/3 cup of dressing, and any addition ingredients to the bowl of massaged kale, and toss everything together.
Serve right away, or divide into meal prep containers for later!