LISA’S SUMMER KALE SALAD

Warm summer days and fresh summer produce all point to delicious summer salads! Co-owner and Certified Nutrition Consultant, Lisa Miller, shares her balanced Summer Kale Salad recipe for you to incorporate into your summer meal routine. This salad is not only bursting with flavor and crunch, it is also full of nutrients to help restore and energize you for all the summer activities you most enjoy. Have as your main meal, or share it as a side, this hearty salad can be tweaked with different fruit or nut add-ons to always keep your palate satisfied.

This salad is great for cooking in advance and taking on the go—to a picnic, on a hike, while traveling, or for a work lunch. Cook ahead on the weekends and enjoy during your busy week. We love that this salad stores well (it keeps for a week refrigerated). In fact, it is often better on the second day, and is great at room temperature. If you’re saving it for later in the week, consider adding your apples in later. This salad is very versatile and can be done as a winter version with pomegranates, cranberries and sliced persimmon.

Ingredients

Salad & Quinoa

• 1 cup sprouted quinoa (dry)

• 5 cups chopped organic kale

• 2 organic firm stone fruit

• 2 organic apples

• 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

• 3 stalks organic celery (diced)

• 1 cups walnuts

• 1-cup fresh blueberries

• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Dressing

• 3-4 Tbs. flax oil

• Fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons

• 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

Equipment

• Chef’s knife

• Mixing bowls

• Strainer

• Pot

Directions

1. Prepare the Kale:

   a) Remove stems and chop kale into thinly sliced ribbons. Once chopped, toss with dressing then massage the dressing into the kale to break it down and start the marinating process and set aside.

   b) Allow the kale to marinate in the dressing for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator before mixing with other salad ingredients (even better to massage in the lemon and ginger and add the oil after marinating).

2. Cook the quinoa: Quinoa can be done different ways.  For this purpose, it’s best to have it as dry as possible.

   a) Rinse the quinoa in cold water. Rubbing between your hands over a strainer.

   b) Add quinoa to a pot of water (lots of water, like making pasta).  Add salt to the water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cover.

   c) As soon as the little rings on the quinoa pop up from the grain it’s done. Taste quickly and if soft remove from heat and strain.

   d) Leave in strainer to cool and fluff with a fork.  Fluffing it and letting it stay in the strainer will ensure it’s dry and keeps its form.  Leave in strainer until cool, 20-30 minutes.  Can remain in strainer until ready to use.

   e) Since you are making it, make extra! It can be put away to save for other uses.

3. Other ingredients: Slice the stone fruit and apples into thinly sliced half slivers and dice the celery.

4. Once the ingredients are ready, add the fruits, ginger, celery, walnuts and quinoa to the kale, gently toss.

Looking for more nutrition advice or consultation? Lisa Miller, BS, NC provides corporate wellness nutrition presentations and cooking demonstrations, as well as individual 1:1 nutrition consultation. Reach out to learn more!