Healthy Kale Salad with Quinoa and Lemon Vinaigrette

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Getting your greens is an easy proposition with this Healthy Fresh Kale Salad with Quinoa and Lemon Vinaigrette. Tossed with toasted almonds, cranberries, and Parmesan cheese, it's as pretty as it is delicious!

Considered one of the world's healthiest foods, kale is a powerhouse vegetable that packs a nutritional punch. Take a look at these stats:

Kale Nutrition

A single cup of raw kale is only 33 calories and contains:

• Vitamin A: 206% of the RDA (from beta-carotene).
• Vitamin K: 684% of the RDA.
• Vitamin C: 134% of the RDA.
• Vitamin B6: 9% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 26% of the RDA.
• Calcium: 9% of the RDA.
• Copper: 10% of the RDA.
• Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 6% of the RDA.
• Then it contains 3% or more of the RDA for Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Iron and Phosphorus

While we love kale in stews and soups of all kinds... There is something extra special and extra fresh about a healthy, fresh green kale salad. Add quinoa to the mix, and it's simply divine.

Healthy Fresh Kale Salad with Quinoa and Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
10 leaves organic kale, cut into small pieces (or a bag of organic kale in the refrigerated section of your market's produce section)
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup dried cranberries
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Lemon Vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and oregano in a bowl until it emulsifies.

Directions

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a saucepan. Cover and reduce heat to low, simmer about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender. Drain any water left over. Remove cover and let the quinoa cool completely.

Thoroughly wash kale and put in a large mixing bowl. Toss with Lemon Vinaigrette.

Add cooled quinoa, toasted almonds, cranberries, and Parmesan cheese to the dressed kale and toss to incorporate.

More Healthy Recipes to Try

• Easy and Delicious Lemon Vinaigrette
• A Color Packed Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
• Skillet Italian Chicken Quinoa Bake
• How to Roast Asparagus: Quick and Easy Method
• How to Perfectly Cook 1 Minute Instant Pot Quinoa