Strawberry Kale Quinoa Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

One of my suggestions when making a kale salad is to tear the kale into small pieces but rub it together and through your hands while you are ripping it apart. It breaks the kale down and makes it much less rough & bitter, it will make the kale brighter green too. I promise the coconut bacon on this just makes it THAT much better. You want to put it on there. Make some & have left overs! I don't put lots of dressing on the salad when it's in the large bowl, I kind of wait until I'm about to eat it and put it over the top then add the coconut bacon.

Salad
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked in 1 cup water
1 bunch kale, torn into small pieces
6-8 strawberries, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
2 green onions including white part, sliced
1/2 avocado, diced
coconut bacon to taste (for topping)
1/2 red bell pepper, small dice (optional)

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing
1 1/2 cups strawberries (fresh)
1/4 cup coconut vinegar (not coconut flavored vinegar) can sub white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup coconut sugar

Salad: In a large bowl, put the torn kale. After the quinoa is cooked and has cooled for at least 5 minutes, add it over the top of the kale and toss with 1/2 cup of the strawberry vinaigrette. Now add the rest of the salad ingredients over the top, except the coconut bacon (save that for when it is plated). Drizzle with a bit of the dressing.

Dressing: Throw it all in the blender and blend for 1 minute.

Bombay Salad (GF, Vegan)

aka Quinoa, Chickpea, Watercress, Mango & Avocado Salad w/Curry Lime Vinaigrette. Now you see why I called it Bombay Salad. haha.
 Makes 4-6 servings

1/2 c quinoa
1 c water
1 c watercress, chopped
1 c spinach, chopped
1 can (no salt added) garbanzo beans/chickpeas, rinsed
1 mango, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, cubed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbs pepitas
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes


Lime Curry Vinaigrette

2 1/2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp honey/agave/maple syrup or other preferred sweetener
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Bring the water to a boil, add quinoa, turn to low & add a lid. Cook for about 15 min, until all the water is gone (like rice). Allow to cool for 5 min with the lid on, then fluff.

Chop up all the salad ingredients and mix in a bowl.

For the dressing, I've found it's easiest if you put it in a little container that has a lid, put all the ingredients in and SHAKE. Then pour it over the salad & mix it all around.