Cranberry, Almond & Quinoa Kale Salad

This is by far my favorite salad of all time right now. It requires very simple, basic ingredients but tastes anything but basic! It's filling, tangy, and filled with refreshing crunchy kale & almonds. My homemade sweet vinaigrette dressing is what really tops this salad off! It has an apple cider vinegar base, which just gives the perfect amount of tang and brings out the sweetness of the cranberries in this salad!

This recipe makes 6 large salads or 10 ish small side salads. I hope you give this recipe a try and love it as much as I do! Be sure to try my Mediterranean Quinoa & Chickpea Salad as well!

BE SURE TO SAVE THIS RECIPE TO YOUR FAVORITE PINTEREST BOARD FOR LATER!

Reasons to Love this Salad

• Great for any occasion/time of the year: Eat this salad for lunch with some rotisserie chicken, have it as a side dish to your favorite meal, bring it to a potluck, picnic, and so much more!
• Perfect Blend of Textures/Flavors: The quinoa is super fluffy with a sweet & tangy dressing and crunchy, refreshing kale & almonds.
• Stays Fresh: One of my favorite ways to enjoy this salad is for lunch with some rotisserie chicken for extra protein. This salad is a great meal prep dish because it stays fresh for 5 days and does not wilt at all in the fridge. You can enjoy it all week long and it will taste & look exactly the same!

Nutritional Benefits

• Quinoa: Quinoa is full of fiber and antioxidants. Consuming lots of antioxidants reduces your risk of heart disease. Quinoa is also a good source of plant protein, iron & copper.
• Kale: Kale is the ultimate superfood due to the amounts of vitamins A, K, B6 and C, calcium, potassium, copper and manganese in it.
• Almonds: Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E.
• Cranberries: Cranberries contain lots of antioxidants and vitamins. They support urinary tract health as well as reduce inflammation and assist in digestion.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• Quinoa - 1 cup of dry organic quinoa, which will yield approximately 4 cups of cooked quinoa. I used this one by the brand Prozis. You can use the code KATIE10 for 10% off their online store as well.
• Water - 2 cups of water to cook the quinoa in.
• Almonds - 3/4 cup of sliced almonds.
• Cranberries - 3/4 cup of unsweetened or reduced sugar dried cranberries.
• Kale - 12 ounces of chopped organic curly kale with the stems removed, washed & dried thoroughly. Tip: Massage your kale under cold water for at least 5 minutes to get the bitter taste out!

For the Dressing

• Olive Oil - 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar (with the mother).
• Lemon Juice - 2-3 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice (or more if you want more tang).
• Dijon Mustard - 1 teaspoon.
• Maple Syrup - 2 teaspoons of maple syrup.
• Salt- 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon.

How To Make It

1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a small sauce pot. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
2. Simmer until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa and allow to cool.
3. Toast almonds over medium heat in a small skillet until golden brown.
4. In a small bowl or container with a spout, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, syrup, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard.
5. Toss the kale, almonds, cranberries, and quinoa together well. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Serve and enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

You can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

Check Me Out on Social Media

I post all my recipes on social media as well and you can stay up to date on what I am up to! Also, I love seeing people try my recipes! When make these, snap a picture, and share it to your socials. Tag @cookingkatielady and #cookingkatielady so I can admire your masterpiece and share with others!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cooking Katie Lady (@cookingkatielady)