Kale & Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Warm Onion Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Kale & Blueberry Quinoa Salad is a triple threat combo that packs a nutritional punch! Tossed in a heavenly warm onion balsamic vinaigrette, this fresh and healthy salad is so delicious and easy to make!

Living in Portland for the past year has been so fun, because of all of the awesome opportunities it offers. This week we had the chance to go on a tour of Bob’s Red Mill Factory. For those of you not familiar, Bob’s Red Mill is a producer of natural, certified organic, and gluten-free milled grain products. They pride themselves in being the “nation’s leading miller of diverse whole-grain foods”. During the tour we learned about some of the different grains they produce and it was really interesting and got me motivated to start cooking with some healthier, whole grain options! So get ready to see some fun recipes in the near future with unique and super healthy grains like farro, kamut berries and cracked freekeh!

Today I’m using a grain that is a little more in my comfort level, but still packs an amazing nutritional punch – quinoa. This super food is a tiny grain that is extremely nutrient dense and is a complete protein by itself. So if you are looking for a great vegetarian meal option that is still super filling, this salad is it!

Quick, easy and nutritious are the three criteria that I look for when planning my weeknight meals – and this salad passes with flying colors! I’m seriously OBBSESSED with the flavor and textures going on here. Juicy blueberries, creamy goat cheese and toasted pine nuts all tossed around some fresh crisp kale and nutty quinoa. I mean, how can you go wrong??

The real star of the show today is the warm onion balsamic vinaigrette. It is seriously TO DIE FOR!!! I’ve always been a fan of quinoa salads, however I feel like the majority of them have some sort of fresh citrusy dressing. While that’s all fine and dandy, it’s nice to have something unique for a change, and this balsamic vinaigrette is it! Super easy to make, here’s how this dressing magic happens:

First: warm a little olive oil, garlic, chopped onion, salt and maple syrup (or honey) in a small saucepan on the stove for 3-5 minutes

Next: transfer to a blender, add some balsamic vinegar and blend till smooth.

Viola!

Now the key to this salad, or really any fresh kale salad, is to remove the center stem (or rib) from the kale. You can do this by laying the leaf on the cutting board and using a paring knife, making two slices on both sides of the stem, leaving only the soft leaf portion of the kale. Also, massaging the kale thoroughly with oil and salt (or in this case the dressing) is crucial!!!

Hold up there. Massage kale? Say whaaaaa??

Yep. You heard me right. Massage. Your. Kale.

Not kidding. It’s totally a thing and if you’ve been skipping this step, it’s no wonder you don’t love fresh kale salads yet!! This method is called tenderizing, and you can decide how long to massage (yes with your hands) depending on how soft you or crunchy you like your kale in salads, however if you skip this step you will have tough, course, bitter, poky-chewy kale and I promise that is not something you want.

TIPS:

If you aren’t planning to finish this salad in one sitting, add the goat cheese only to the portion you are eating. I feel like goat cheese doesn’t sit super well with the dressing overnight.

You can EASILY change up the salad. It’s super versatile. Let’s say it’s winter and you want this but don’t want to buy (or can’t find) imported blueberries for $10 a pound. Just sub clementines! Seriously, peaches, pears, apples, strawberries, pretty much any fruit I can think would pair perfectly with this salad and dressing. Mmm… thinking about it now I’m definitely going to do peaches with this soon! Also, feel free to add in any extra favorites that you like. Roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, and golden raisins are a few I can think of off the top of my head that sound lovely.

Pretty much, you can’t go wrong with this salad. It will quickly become a favorite, easy, go-to meal that your body AND taste buds will thank you for!

Kale & Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Warm Onion Balsamic Vinaigrette

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This Kale & Blueberry Quinoa Salad is a triple threat combo that packs a nutritional punch! Tossed in a heavenly warm onion balsamic vinaigrette, this fresh and healthy salad is so delicious and easy to make!

• Author: The Saucy Fig
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

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Salad

• 1 bunch kale (about 8 loose cups)
• 1–2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1–2 cups of blueberries
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped yellow or sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

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Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.  Refrigerate till cooled.
2. Wash and prepare the kale by removing the middle stem (or rib) using a paring knife. Coarsely chop the remaining soft leaves and place in a large bowl.
3. Prepare the vinaigrette by heating the olive oil in a small fry pan.  Add the garlic and chopped onions and cook for a minute, then add the salt and maple syrup or honey and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are softened.
4. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the balsamic vinegar, and blend until smooth.
5. Pour the dressing over the kale and massage thoroughly with your hands until the kale becomes soft and tenderized.
6. Toss the kale with the remaining salad ingredients: quinoa, blueberries (or other fruit of choice), goat cheese and pine nuts.
7. Serve warm right away.  If not serving right away, leave the goat cheese off until ready to serve.

Notes

• Add 1-2 cups of quinoa and blueberries, depending on the proportions you would like in your salad. I used about 1.5 cups of each.
• If you aren’t planning to finish this salad in one sitting, add the goat cheese only to the portion you are eating. I feel like goat cheese doesn’t sit super well with the dressing overnight.
• Use whatever fruit is in season.  This salad is super versatile and would be delicious with strawberries, peaches, clementines, you name it.
• Other addition ideas: roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, golden raisins, different nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc.)

Keywords: salad, kale, blueberries, quinoa, goat cheese, pine nuts, balsamic, side dish, main dish

Adapted from Veggie and The Beast

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