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. I have also been advised to look at supplements with a probiotic formula to help me in my weight loss journey. 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 excited to share about my weight loss journey and the recipes behind it!

Kale and Quinoa Salad

Author: The Hungry Waitress
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Description

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

Ingredients

Scale

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!