Shredded Kale & Quinoa Salad

I think I'm a late bloomer by nature. There are many things in life that I didn't get into until everybody else had experienced them. Like a boyfriend... I had my first boyfriend when I was 17 years old. Never kissed a guy until then! It's okay really, don't worry about me.....I don't think that scarred me for life lol! Or like joining the crazy world of the internet. I was one of the last people from my circle to get into it. Cell phones? Yep, one of the last ones. I had a flip phone forever! I was embarrassed to go out to dinner with friends and take my phone out of my bag lol! I think that's one of the reasons I'm so into gadgets now.... I feel like I was deprived in my early years.  I'm doing a good job resisting the temptation to change my iPhone every summer when the new versions come out though! Anyways....

I'm also a late bloomer when it comes to kale. Everybody's been on the kale bandwagon for at least two years now and I never joined the crowd.

Until now that is.

This salad is full of goodness.  I'm hooked! It's a copycat recipe from Chelsea's Kitchen, a restaurant in Phoenix. I've been there twice; one time with my girlfriends  and recently with my in-laws. They serve this salad as a side for some of their dishes and it's also available as a main salad. I ordered it as my main dish along with rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal. I fell in love with the salad and knew right then that I had to recreate it. I wrote down all the ingredients and set myself on a mission.

Since I love to google everything, I searched to see if there was a version of this recipe out there. And yep! I was surprised to find the exact same recipe. Score! I found it on the LGO Hospitality website that Chelsea's is part of. I didn't change much of the recipe since I think it's perfect the way it is. The only thing different is their recipe calls for preserved lemons but instead I used regular lemon peel.

Oh and FYI - when trying to figure out the recipe at the restaurant, my senses guessed almost all the ingredients...except the shallots & chervil in the vinaigrette 😉 Not bad huh?

Shredded Kale & Quinoa Salad

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Ana Frias

This Shredded Kale & Quinoa Salad is full of goodness!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Champagne Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon chopped chervil
• Ground black pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• Salt
• 4 cups loosely packed julienned kale from 1 large bunch
• 3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2/3 cup red seedless grapes halved
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Manchego cheese
• 12 to15 strips finely julienned lemon peel

Instructions

Make the dressing

• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallots and salt; set aside for 20 minutes to soften the shallot.
• Slowly drizzle in the oils while whisking to emulsify the vinaigrette.
• Whisk in the chervil and pepper. This makes a scant one-half cup vinaigrette; the vinaigrette will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 4 days.

Make The Salad

• Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a simmer.
• Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well, then drain, and add to the simmering water.
• Cook the quinoa until the grains are translucent and tender and the germ has spiraled out from the grain, about 15 minutes (be careful not to overcook).
• Remove from heat and drain any remaining liquid.
• Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a baking sheet to cool.
• Note: the quinoa can be made ahead of time and stored, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days before using.
• In a large bowl, place the kale and one-fourth cup of the vinaigrette.
• Using your hands, massage the vinaigrette into the kale until the kale is softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To the bowl, add the cooled quinoa, the sunflower seeds, bell pepper, grapes and Parmigiano Reggiano, tossing to combine.
• Divide the salad among serving plates, evenly sprinkling over the Manchego cheese and garnishing with the preserved lemon strips.
• Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg