Twelve Superfoods Salad
User Reviews
4.6
Twelve Superfoods Salad
Description
The Twelve Superfoods Salad brings together a variety of nutrient-rich ingredients starting with cooked quinoa and edamame as a base. The kale used is curly and sturdy, providing a robust green element when torn into bite-sized pieces with thick ribs removed. Fresh blueberries and halved red grapes add sweetness and juiciness, offset by dried cherries for tartness. Crumbled feta or goat cheese contributes a creamy, salty contrast.
Sunflower seeds and walnuts lend crunchy texture and earthy nuttiness. The salad is combined lightly before being tossed with a dressing made by shaking together orange juice, olive oil, minced garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt until creamy and well blended. This dressing lightly coats the kale and other components, balancing the flavors without overpowering them.
The salad offers a complex flavor profile, suitable as a side or light meal. The combination of fresh, dried, and tangy ingredients creates interest with every bite. Some cooked quinoa is saved for other uses, indicating the salad uses about half of the prepared quantity.
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa cooked according to package directions, dry
- ½ cup edamame cooked according to package directions, frozen
- ½ kale about 4 to 5 cups, chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces with thick ribs removed, curly, bunch
- ½ cup blueberries fresh
- ½ cup red grape halved
- ½ cup dried cherries chopped if necessary (dried cranberries may be substituted)
- ⅓ cup feta cheese goat, or parmesan cheese, crumbled or shredded
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds I used unsalted
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped (I used unsalted)
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic finely minced or pressed, clove
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 Greek yogurt I used 0% fat, sour cream may be substituted, heaping tablespoon
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions, likely cooking with 1 cup water to the 1/2 cup dry quinoa. Transfer about half of the cooked quinoa to a very large bowl. I don’t use all the quinoa for the salad and save the rest for another use. I find it too difficult to cook less than 1/2 cup dry quinoa.
- Cook edamame according to package directions. Drain and add to the bowl.
- To the bowl, add the kale, blueberries, grapes, dried cherries, cheese, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and stir to combine; set aside.
- To a glass mason jar with a lid (or similar jar with a lid), add the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, seal with lid, and shake vigorously to combine; about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the Greek yogurt and shake until creamy and incorporated, about 1 minute. Taste and check for seasoning balance, adding more salt, pepper, etc. as necessary. I prefer this dressing to be on the saltier side because it’s going to be coating a large bowl of unseasoned kale, vegetables, and quinoa and you need it to read salty out of the jar to properly flavor the salad.
- Add desired amount of dressing to salad, toss well to combine, and serve immediately. Extra dressing will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week; shake vigorously before using.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 480 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 480kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 17g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 78mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 968mg | 40% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 22g | 44% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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