Happy Friday!
Your weekend recipe includes a medley of veggies sure to please as you dig back into that post-holiday routine blah. Great as a main, or as a side, this one packs flavor and nutrients.
Quick note about eating “healthy” “clean” or whatever that means to you: You can have weight-loss and health plans, goals, and tweak your behavior around food and exercise while NOT subscribing to diet culture. Diet Culture is the crap end of the carrot stick. It’s got nothing on it. No flavor. No substance. It’s there to make you suffer on an endless hamster wheel, running yourself ragged. A sustainable approach puts some dip on it. Don’t be afraid, and if you’re going to eat more salad, make them epic!
By the way, the key to an epic salad is texture and size. Not the size of the salad, that’s your business, but the size of the ingredients. Having a mix of crunchy and chewy, and everything chopped in similar sizes, and you just took things to a whole new level of satisfaction. Trust.
BLUEBERRY QUINOA SALAD
(serves 4-6 depending on preferred portions)
Salad Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 large bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped/torn
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 cup blueberries
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (vegan option: violife feta)
½ cup almonds, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
Dressing ingredients:
4 tbs olive oil
4 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs honey (maple or agave works too)
1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
salt & pepper
Directions:
Cook the quinoa according to instructions on packaging. Once cooked set aside to cool. (note: rinsing the quinoa first, and lightly toasting in a little oil before adding the water to boil makes it nuttier and takes out bitterness.)
Place the torn kale leaves in a salad bowl.
In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the kale. Mix the dressing through the kale leaves to coat.
Once quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl with the kale, along with the chickpeas, blueberries, goat cheese, almonds, and avocado. Give it a gentle mix and serve.
Get your greens on and have a fabulous weekend!
Kristen
DISCLAIMER: Please consult with your DR before starting any general fitness, nutrition, or wellness program or tip. This newsletter is NOT a substitution for professional, medical, therapeutic, or mental health consultation, diagnosis, and/or treatment. This newsletter is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It includes science-based/general guidelines, and is NOT personalized advice or training. These are just suggestions and if you try anything, you do so at your own risk.