Superfood Salad

I’m in love with this salad.  It’s so easy and it makes a ton, so you can make it and eat it all week long (Yes!!!!).  

It’s packed with healthy ingredients, and can easily be customized for your tastes.  I like to think of this as a “base salad” and then I doctor it up.  I’ve been adding avocado (for some healthy fat) and I think I’ll try adding some beets and goat cheese tomorrow.  I think that the salad tastes better after it sits a day in the fridge.

Let’s talk a bit about the ingredients:  The kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts are cruciferous vegetables.  They have sulfur-containing compounds that, when chewed and broken down, convert to isothiocyanates (ITC’s).  ITC’s have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunologic properties.  So it’s very important that you slow down and chew this salad well!  You want to break down the cell walls!

The quinoa, even though it’s a grain, is a complete protein source.  The almonds also contain protein and healthy fat.

Best of all, I think that it’s delicious and you can feel good eating it!

Superfood Salad

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups Water

1 Bag Superfood Slaw (the one I used had Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage and Carrots)

1 Bunch Curly Kale

3 Carrots

1/4 Cup Chopped Raw Almonds

1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

Dressing:

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 T Balsamic Vinegar

2 T Unsweetened Applesauce

1 T Maple Syrup

1 1/2 t Course Dijon Mustard

Sea Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:

 Rinse the quinoa (this removes the bitterness) using a fine mesh strainer.  I like to salt the water a bit and then bring the water to a boil and add the rinsed quinoa.  Simmer on Medium until all of the water is absorbed (about 12 minutes).  Take off the heat and cover to steam for another 10 to 15 minutes.
While you’re making the quinoa, peel and chop the carrots, wash and de-rib the kale and then roughly chop.  Chop the almonds and add all of these ingredients, plus the dried cranberries to a large bowl.

In a small mason jar, add all of the ingredients for the dressing, put the top on and shake well to mix.

Add the quinoa and dressing to the other ingredients and stir to combine.

Enjoy!