This Kale Quinoa Salad is a super healthy yet delicious salad with two super foods – kale and quinoa. Vegan and gluten free .
One of the finds of this quarantine has been our love for Kale. Before the lockdown started I was going to work on a salad series for the blog, and given that covid cases had started in India, Anubhav and I decided to stock up on some food, so that we do not have to go out that often. While researching for vegetables that will last a little longer in the refrigerator Kale came up and so I decided to buy a bunch.
Previously, the only way I had eaten Kale was in smoothie form. The kale taste was masked by the taste of green apples, spinach and other veggies. When I got this big bunch of kale to use during the lockdown, I looked at ways to use it in meals. This kale quinoa salad was one of the main ways kale was used, but I also experimented with kale in my pizzas and that was a very tasty experiment. Will share that recipe soon too.
What is Kale?
Kale is a nutrient dense green leafy cruciferous vegetable and is a part of the cabbage family. It is a crisp vegetable and has a hint of earthiness in it. Since it has thicker leaves, as mentioned above, it lasts longer in the fridge than more delicate greens like spinach.
There are different types of kale, and it comes in a range of colors from deep green and purple with certain varieties even white and pink. The most common variations of kale include curly, purple, and Tuscan kale (the one I use most often and slightly less bitter than the curly variety). source
Health Benefits of Kale
In recent years, Kale has become popular for the number of health benefits associated with it. It is considered a superfood and has high contents of Vitamin A, K and C, while being a powerful source of antioxidants. Since its low in carbs and calories, it makes a great addition to healthy salad and meal options.
Kale contains phytonutrients that are known to fight cancer. Being rich in vitamin A, kale is good for vision. It is a rich source of Vitamin C which makes it good to include in your diet to boost immunity.
Like spinach, Kale contains calcium and also is a source of Vitamin K, both of which are good for bone density. Kale is also good for people with diabetes, and aids digestion. The high content of vitamins makes it good for skin and hair.
Like any other food, excess of anything is not advisable. And in case you are on any medication or dietary restrictions, please consult with your nutritionist or doctor before including any new food item in your diet.
Cooking with Kale
Kale can be bitter, especially when you try to eat it raw. After using kale in a number of my salads, I have learnt there is a way to reduce the bitterness associated with kale.
- Remove leaves from the large center stem of kale.
- Discard the stem- compost them and help the environment.
- Thoroughly wash the leaves, dry them and if you want, chop them.
- Put the leaves in a bowl and drizzle a little olive oil on them, along with some salt and pepper. Massage the leaves with your hands for about 2 minutes. This wilts the leaves and tenderizes them making them easier and more palatable to eat.
While boiling decreases some of the benefits of kale, you can safely steam, sauté or bake kale to use in recipes. Kale chips are surprisingly tasty and a great way to have a crunchy snack.
Sourcing Kale in Delhi
INA in Delhi is one place that Kale is easily available and not as expensive as you would think. For 100-150 bucks you get a big bunch of Kale. Krishi cress also has a good stock of Kale, plus they deliver to most places in the NCR, though they are slightly more expensive than INA. INA too does deliver to certain areas in Delhi. I have also seen Kale in Foodhall, but have found Foodhall fairly more expensive than both INA and Krishi Cress for most items. These are the places I know of. Will update when I find more resources.
KALE QUINOA SALAD
With two super foods in this salad- kale and quinoa, you have a super healthy meal. This Kale quinoa salad is so easily adaptable to what you have on hand. I had made this kale quinoa salad when oranges were available in the local market, but you can play around with what you have. I love apple with kale, so it always is an addition to my kale salads. The great thing about kale is that it doesn’t wilt quite easily as lettuce so you can get away with letting it sit for a while for the flavors to meld.
The dressing is a simple vinaigrette with oil, vinegar, mixed with a little bit of dijon mustard and seasoned with salt & pepper . You could use lemon juice instead of vinegar is you want.
Give this healthy kale quinoa salad a try. Feel free to change the salad to your liking by adding or subtracting any vegetable you prefer. For a little crunch, add a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.
