I'm going to be heading out for a wedding this weekend this afternoon. Because I'll be out of town for a few days, I've been trying to use up leftover ingredients and avoid having moldy produce greet my return! So....I made up a great quinoa salad that was a terrific, filling dinner and a fantastic lunch the next day! Hope you enjoy it too.
Power Bowl
about 3-4 entree servings
1 c. dry quinoa
2-3 cups stock (I used pheasant stock thanks to my dad's hunting expeditions! But chicken, veggie, or even water would do just fine)
1/2-1 bell pepper
1 orange, peeled and chopped
4-5 scallions, diced
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off
1 can black beans, rinsed (optional)
1 cup kale, cut into little chunks (make sure to remove the stem; it's super bitter!)
Dressing:
Juice of one lemon
2ish tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
Place quinoa in broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for about fifteen minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Chop up all the other ingredients. You can serve this warm, room temp, or cold. We had it all three ways and liked it in all versions! Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix with the dressing.
I highly recommend you mix this with your hands. A lot of people don't like kale too much, and it's my belief it has a lot to do with their preparation of it. Kale needs to be massaged. You want to massage in whatever dressing/oil you're using, whether it be for a salad, tostadas, or to mix in a yummy quinoa salad like this. The kale leaves should go from a dull green to a vibrant green as you massage them. For this salad, I like to let it sit from a few minutes after massaging and mixing to let the kale soften and become even tastier!
I sauteed some shrimp with a little olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and tossed them over top of the quinoa salad for a really filling, protein-packed dinner. Chicken would also work fabulously here, or you can enjoy it just on its own!
about 3-4 entree servings
1 c. dry quinoa
2-3 cups stock (I used pheasant stock thanks to my dad's hunting expeditions! But chicken, veggie, or even water would do just fine)
1/2-1 bell pepper
1 orange, peeled and chopped
4-5 scallions, diced
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off
1 can black beans, rinsed (optional)
1 cup kale, cut into little chunks (make sure to remove the stem; it's super bitter!)
Dressing:
Juice of one lemon
2ish tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
Place quinoa in broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for about fifteen minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Chop up all the other ingredients. You can serve this warm, room temp, or cold. We had it all three ways and liked it in all versions! Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix with the dressing.
I highly recommend you mix this with your hands. A lot of people don't like kale too much, and it's my belief it has a lot to do with their preparation of it. Kale needs to be massaged. You want to massage in whatever dressing/oil you're using, whether it be for a salad, tostadas, or to mix in a yummy quinoa salad like this. The kale leaves should go from a dull green to a vibrant green as you massage them. For this salad, I like to let it sit from a few minutes after massaging and mixing to let the kale soften and become even tastier!
I sauteed some shrimp with a little olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and tossed them over top of the quinoa salad for a really filling, protein-packed dinner. Chicken would also work fabulously here, or you can enjoy it just on its own!