SOUTHWESTERN KALE AND QUINOA POWER SALAD

Since going vegetarian in July of ‘17, my main struggle with food has been balancing my macro-nutrients at a level similar to what I was getting when I was an omnivore. Mainly, the concern has been with protein. I am well aware of the many ways we can get protein from non-meat sources (whole and ancient grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, leafy greens and etc…), but making that shift in the kitchen has proven to be much more difficult than I could have imagined. Thankfully we live in an age where recipes of all kinds are plentiful online, so I didn’t have to go out and stock up on every new brilliant vegetarian and vegan cookbook. I love sharing my findings with my clients in hopes of them making healthier decisions every day. Let me be clear, I don’t think everybody should - or even needs to be - vegan or vegetarian. I do, however, think making these choices regularly will lead to a more moderate consumption of animal products, and therefore alleviate some of the side effects our society faces due to over consumption of these types of foods (clogged arteries, hormone imbalances, and inflammation to name just a few). Bellow I will list for you some of my favorite online resources for health conscious recipes, and one of my favorite finds on the internet to date. This particular recipe comes from CookieandKate.com . Enjoy!

- Trainer Kevin

1. Cookie and Kate - https://cookieandkate.com/

2. The Minimalist Baker - https://minimalistbaker.com/

3. Simply Quinoa - https://www.simplyquinoa.com/recipes/

4. Detoxinista - https://detoxinista.com

5. Mom Noms - http://www.momnoms.net/

Southwestern Kale and Quinoa Power Salad.

Recipe Borrowed From Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

Quinoa & Kale

• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 1 Bunch Kale (Ribs Removed and shredded into bite size pieces)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Lime, juiced
• ½ Teaspoon Salt

Sweet Potatoes

• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes (1.5lbs diced into quarter inch cubes)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ½ Teaspoon Salt

Avocado Sauce

• 2 Medium ripe Avocados
• 2 Limes Juiced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Jalapeno (cored and diced)
• 1 Handful of Cilantro Leaves
• ½ Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• Salt to Taste

Additional Protein

• 1 ½ Cups Cooked Black Beans
• ¼ Cup Roasted Pepitas
  • *(vegetarian, instead of vegan?) This recipe goes great with crumbled Feta

Pro Tip: I recommend making the quinoa well ahead of time so it has time to cool down before you add it to the prepared kale salad. In fact, cooked quinoa is a great staple to have in any vegan or vegetarian refrigerator since it is a great source of complete proteins.Try making 2-4 cups of it at the beginning of the week and playing around with different “power bowl” recipes similar to this one - you can mix and match your veggies depending on how you feel that day.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
4. To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
5. To make the avocado sauce: Simply combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well and season with salt, to taste.
6. To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.

Nutrition Facts

Servings = 4 / Calories = 636 / Cabs = 64.8g / Fat = 35g / Protein = 20.2g