Sometimes we all need something easy to throw together that pleases the belly, the eyes, and the body. This is that dish. It’s super easy, very nutritious, and yummy yummy yummy. Basically, you take some cooked quinoa (couldn’t be easier- boil water, toss in, and let it absorb water over a light simmer- can’t mess it up!), stir in some fresh kale, dried fruit of some kind (I love the Golden Berry Blend from Trader Joe’s), some goat cheese, and red onion… vuala, done. Easy right? But the best thing is how healthy this little dish is… quinoa is “the Gold of the Incas” for Pete’s sake- a complete protein packed with fiber, manganese, and antioxidants (think that’s my first time ever saying Pete’s sake.. who is Pete anyway?!). And kale- another antioxidant, huge in vitamin K, and apparently a cancer-risk reducer- not bad… in fact very very good! The dried berries are healthy, too- vitamins galore depending on the berries you pick (aim for a mix with blueberries if you can- yumm!). And if you decide you want a nutty variation, toss in some chopped walnuts for an extra dose of omegas… so there, total health in an easy simple little dish! Did I mention it’s tasty too? The contrast of the sweet fruit with the tangy goat cheese and crunchy kale works super well… at least it did for the bellies in my house! (Can you tell I’m excited about this one… look at all those exclamation marks- eeek!)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked quinoa (see note below)
2 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup goat cheese (you may want more)
3/4 cup dried fruit (mix of cranberries, blueberries, raisins, cherries)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts- a nutty variation!
*Quinoa is extremely easy to cook- boil 2 cups of water, add 1 cup of quinoa, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until liquid’s absorbed and quinoa is light and fluffy (this will make a little more than the needed 2 cups… I always make extra just to have around- adjust amounts as you like)
DIRECTIONS
Chop up kale, removing stems and any thick ribs
Finely dice onion…
And get goat cheese ready… if not already out, let sit at room-temp for a bit to soften
Mix kale, dried fruit, onion, salt. and pepper together in a large bowl
(If adding walnuts, toss in now)
Stir and mix it goat cheese
Use a spoon or flat utensil to smother the goat cheese into the mix
so it spreads out all over, like a dressing of sorts- some chunks
are good, but get it mostly smooth anyway
When your quinoa is cooked and has
cooled off, measure out about 2 cups
Stir into kale mix, taste, and adjust seasonings as needed
Plop into a bowl or plate…
Garnish with fresh herbs, edible flowers (I have nasturtiums in my yard), or nothing at all… enjoy!!
In my opinion, this is best at room-temp 🙂
