Description
A vibrant and nutritious salad featuring hearty kale, fluffy quinoa, sweet-tart cranberries, crunchy candied pecans, and creamy feta cheese, all brought together with a simple maple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 large bunch kale, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
- Make the candied pecans: In a small skillet over medium heat, combine the pecans, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and a pinch of cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until the pecans are coated and the syrup has caramelized. Spread them on a piece of parchment paper to cool and harden.
- Massage the kale: Place the chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes until it becomes darker in color, softer, and fragrant.
- Make the dressing: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: To the large bowl with the massaged kale, add the cooled quinoa, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Just before serving, top with the candied pecans.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.