Recipe for a healthy Kale Quinoa Salad

by Noor H. Salem

Dealing with clients for many years now has led me to understand some of the major challenges when it comes to weight loss, or reaching a health goal: willpower. Countless of my clients are intolerant to gluten, yet find it difficult to withhold from reaching from the fresh and hot bread at a restaurant, or from Tabouli salad. For that, I’ve worked hard on creating many recipes that are free of dairy, gluten, soy, and many other common allergens.

Whether you are grilling homemade kafta patties or topping salmon with your favorite vegetables, tabouli salad is a wonderful and quite popular side. With the increase in gluten-free diets, it might be devastating for you to not consume tabouli if you love it greatly. While parsley is an incredibly healthy leafy herb, to add in kale to your tabouli will boost the vitamin K, dietary fiber, and even calcium. If you find kale to pungent in taste, use half kale and half parsley in the recipe. This salad is loaded with extra virgin olive oil, a reason why it grants incredible satiety post the meal. Consuming healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil, organic grass-fed butter, cold-pressed avocado oil, virgin coconut oil, or nuts and seeds all aid your body in many ways. Healthy fats balance your blood sugar levels, thus reduce your cravings post the meal. They are beneficial superfoods for your cognitive health, digestive health, and even cardiovascular health. Aim to consume healthy fats daily, and eliminate your intake of genetically engineered oils or Trans-fat. Tossing in flaxseeds is definitely a twist to the traditional tabouli salad, but an incredible way to intake more omega-3 fatty acids.

I have many versions of this recipe, sometimes swapping the greens and sometimes swapping the burghul out for quinoa. Making it with quinoa gives a very similar taste to the traditional salad while making it gluten-free. It still tastes great and increases protein and dietary fiber content. Enjoy this salad at your next dinner party, or for a quick lunch.

Ingredients:

• Eight to ten cups kale, coarsely chopped
• 2 bunches parsley
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 large tomato

Topping Ingredients:

• 11/2 cups organic quinoa
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Himalayan pink salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• ½ teaspoon mustard seed, ground

Directions:

1. In a small pot, place the quinoa and boiling water. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat. Allow it to cool.
2. Meanwhile, place the kale and parsley in your food processor and process until finely chopped (not juiced). Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Chop the green onions and tomatoes. Add to bowl.
4. Add quinoa, olive oil, spices, and lemon juice to the bowl and mix well. Enjoy! Best if chilled prior to serving.

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.