Recipe: Quinoa and kale Salad

The kale and quinoa salad is a highly nutritious food that contains two tasty foods – kale and quinoa. It also contains other little ingredients like herbs and nuts. The beauty of this dish is that it can both serve as a main meal and as a side dish depending on how you want it. one of the two major ingredient of this meal – kale is highly loaded with all manners of beneficial compounds and nutrients. If you are looking for a healthy meal, kale should be among the ingredients of your dish. On the other hand, quinoa is also high in nutrients especially protein. It possesses all the nine essential amino acids in sufficient amount and is gluten free.

Quinoa and kale salad is an island of nutrients that will help you stay healthy, satisfy your fullness and still helps keep your weight in check. It can be prepared as lunch or dinner.

• Preparation time: 30mins
• Cook time: 30mins
• Total time: 60mins

Health Benefits

• They contain powerful anti-oxidant

The dish is highly rich in anti-oxidant, especially the kale. It contains baro-carotene, vitamin C, flavonoids and polyphenols. This anti-oxidant performs different functions. They help to protect the heart, lowers blood pressure, anti-inflammatory and also contains some anti-ageing properties.

• High in essential proteins

Essential proteins are proteins that cannot be produced in your body but they are highly needed. This meal contains all the nine essential amino acids.

• It helps to lose weight

Some food helps boost metabolic activities and reduce appetite. This are all very important especially if you are trying to lose weight. Quinoa and kale, the two major ingredients of this meal possesses this quality. Therefore, they can be used to boost weight loss. They are rich in protein and fiber. Protein increase the rate of metabolic activities while fiber increases your feeling of fullness making you eat lower amount of calories altogether.

• They contain compounds that helps fight cancer

This dish contains compounds that have a protective effect against cancer. Compounds like sulforaphane have been known to fight against the formation of cancerous cells in the body.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rinsed quinoa
• 1¹/4 cup of water
• 1 can of chickpea (drained and rinsed)
• 6-8 kale leaves (finely chopped with stem removed)
• 1/3 onions diced or 3 scallion thinly sliced
• ½ zucchini (finely diced)
• 2 carrots (finely diced)
• ½ cucumber (finely diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
• ½ Tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon pepper seasoning (to taste)
• Mineral salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. place the quinoa in a medium size pot and allow to boil over high medium heat. Cover and simmer on low medium heat for 15mins. remove and allow to set for 10mins. Fluff with fork.
2. Place the chopped kale in a medium sized bowl and drizzle with lemon juice. Mix together.
3. In a bowl, add the quinoa, kale, the prepared veggies and mix together. Add lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil. Mix together once more. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Nutritional Information

Serving per recipe: 4

Serving size: 100g

Amount per Serving

Preservation

Quinoa and kale salad are unlike the normal salad that easily wilts. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.