It’s early August, the weather is warm and we’re still cooking at home (for the most part)! I love having hearty salads readily available in the fridge that will hold for a few days and that will give me an energy boost and still taste fulfilling! This is definitely one of my go-to’s because the base is quinoa, which has so many health benefits including being one of the most protein-rich foods we can consume. It’s high in fiber, contains iron, rich in magnesium and the list goes on. Really a powerhouse of a grain!
It’s light and refreshing bursting with flavor from the tart cherries, salty and crunchy pistachio and tangy from the lemon vinaigrette. The shaved kale adds a nice texture and also holds well in the salad. I eat this right out of the bowl for lunch, or add a fried egg for breakfast or even roasted chicken breast on top for a summer supper.
I chose to cook my quinoa in vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian, but you could also cook it in chicken stock or beef broth… whatever you prefer. I cooked 1 cup of dry quinoa in 1 cup of broth plus 1/3 cup white wine. I like the way it flavors the quinoa when it cooks through. I prefer tart dried cherries (unsweetened). And I used a tai-colored quinoa but you could use any kind you’d like!
I had some beautiful curly kale in my farm box this week so I decided to finely shave it, toss it in some olive oil and added it to the salad. I love adding greens to my meals whenever possible! Kale is actually an excellent source of vitamin C but even more so, is packed with the almighty vitamin K! I like the texture it adds to this salad, but make sure you massage or toss it in some quality olive oil for easier digestion.
This salad comes together so beautifully with all of the different textures! What I love about this salad is that you can toss it in the dressing and the quinoa absorbs it perfectly, it will last in the fridge for a few days without getting soggy. It almost is better the next day. Here is the recipe below!
Ingredients:
Quinoa (1 cup dry quinoa to 1 cup vegetable broth + 1/3 wine)
2 sliced scallions
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup shelled pistachios
2 cups shaved kale
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp dijon
1 tsp balsamic
1 tsp honey
whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil
Recipe by Alyssa Potter
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