Mediterranean Quinoa Kale Salad
Crunchy kale and hearty quinoa are powerhouses in this Mediterranean Quinoa Kale Salad! With fresh veggies, tangy feta cheese and briny olives, this will be your new favorite grain bowl!
Kale Yeah!
I say this aloud to my kids when I’m making anything that stars kale. “Kale Yeah!” They usually roll their eyes at me.
I sang an Ode to Kale in my Kale Green Goddess Pasta!
I’m sure you get the picture – I’m smitten with kale! It’s just so good! And versatile! And pretty! And to toot its horn a bit more:
High in Fiber – maintains bowel health, helps lower cholesterol, helps control blood sugar levels
Contains Antioxidant Vitamin C – protects body against cell damage
Contains Vitamin K – assists with blood clotting and strengthens bones
Ripe with Iron – helps carry oxygen through your body
Host of Fresh Veggies
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a favorite of mine and over the years I’ve prepared variations of it – mixing up olives, tossing in peppers or other veggies and using a variety of herbs. Today, I am adding some serious pizazz with the addition of kale (kale yeah!) and Mom’s Italian Dressing.
On my Gestational Diabetes Menu
I am working on growing baby #3 and have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. More about that here. This was the first recipe I developed with the goal of pairing a salad alongside some Rotisserie Chicken at lunch (because, NO NAKED CARBS!).
I worked with a dietician to develop a personalized plan with a set number of carbohydrates at mealtime. 1/3 Cup of Quinoa is about 15 g carbohydrates. The dressing in this recipe adds additional carbohydrates due to the sugar in it. My diabetes educator has referred to the other ingredients as “freebies” and has instructed me not to count their carbs toward my total carbohydrate goals.
Ingredients
1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
1/2 Cucumber
2 Vine Ripened Tomatoes
1/4 C Died Red Onion
1/2 C Crumbled Feta Cheese
2 C Finely Chopped Kale
20 Halved Black Olives
1 tbsp Dried Oregano
2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 C Mom’s Italian Dressing
End of Summer Salad
I love that this salad uses the last of garden ripe tomatoes and cucumbers and fresh harvested kale. It is fresh and bright and lovely anytime of year, but feels like a great transition salad as we close out the summer.
Enjoy! And if you like the recipe, please share on Pinterest, or snap a photo of your creation and tag me on Twitter, or Instagram!
Mediterranean Kale Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa
- 1/2 Cucumber, diced
- 2 Vine Ripened Tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 Cup Red Onion, diced
- 2 Cups Kale, finely chopped
- 1/2 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 20 Black Olives, halved
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/3 Cup Mom's Italian Dressing, prepared
Instructions
- Prepare Quinoa according to package directions.
- Prepare Mom's Italian Dressing and set aside for later use.
- Dice the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion. Add to large mixing bowl.
- Finely chop kale, until you can measure about 2 cups of kale. Add to bowl.
- Measure feta cheese and add to salad ingredients.
- Slice about 20 black olives in half, any size will do. Combine with other ingredients.
- Add 1 tbsp Oregano, 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar and 1/3 Cup Mom's Italian Dressing. Toss all ingredients to combine.
