This salad is DELICIOUS! Not only is it healthy and hearty, but it is easy to make and can be made in a hurry.

Salad  Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale, very thinly sliced
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup quinoa (or wild rice), cooked
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 60-80 g goats cheese, crumbled (omit for a dairy free salad)

Dressing Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or cracked black pepper)

 Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar with a lid. Screw on the lid then shake well to mix.
  2. Place the sliced kale in a bowl, and add the lemon juice.
  3. Massage the kale until it starts to darken and soften.
  4. Add the remaining salad ingredients (except the goat’s cheese) and toss with about half of the dressing.
  5. Toss to combine then sprinkle the goat’s cheese on top.
  6. Enjoy! Salad will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.

My favourite ingredients in this recipe are:

Kale: high in folate and magnesium and a wonderful source of fiber

Garlic: helps to lower cholesterol, regulates blood pressure and blood sugar levels

Chickpeas:  great source of protein, high in antioxidants, B vitamins, iron, zinc and magnesium

Almonds:  rich in vitamin E, copper and magnesium

Goat’s cheese: good source of protein and who doesn’t love cheese?

Recipe adapted from meaningfuleats.com