I hated the idea of salads growing up. The first time I actually ever ate one was in high school when I first began trying to lose weight.
I remember forcing myself to choke down a big bowl of iceberg lettuce under thick layers of cheese and ranch dressing (suuuuper healthy, right?) and feeling like a survivor of some unfortunate tragedy afterward.
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Fortunately, as time went on, I realized there was no rule anywhere that said a salad must be boring, flavorless or a generally miserable experience to be “healthy”. The sky is the limit when it comes to all the possibilities for building a better salad and enjoying every bite along the way.
This salad, in its combination of equally tasty and nutritious superfood ingredients, is no exception. It’s simple and tasteful.
It disappears in a hurry when I’ve made it for parties and family get-togethers in the past and is great on its own or rolled into a whole wheat wrap for a quick lunch on the go. With vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fat, protein and complex carbs, it will help you power through your day with pizzazz.
Video Tutorial: How to Cook Quinoa
One of the superfood ingredients featured in this salad is quinoa. Quinoa is an highly nutrient-dense gluten-free grain.
It’s one of the few plant-based proteins to contain all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa also provides an excellent dose of vitamins (particularly vitamins B and E), minerals (like magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and phosphorus), fiber and antioxidants.
If you’re new to working with quinoa, no worries. I have a video tutorial on how to make the perfect batch of quinoa every time!
Recipe for Kale And Squash Super Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Medium butternut squash
- 1//2 Cup long grain brown rice (or Jasmine rice for gluten sensitivity)
- 1/2 Cup quinoa
- 2 Cups of water
- 4 Cups kale (finely chopped)
- 4 Cloves of fresh garlic, minced
- 2 Vegetable bullion cubes (or chicken/beef bullion cubes)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Container reduced fat feta cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Prepping the Squash:
Halve the squash, deseed and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and 2 cloves of garlic. Bake at 400° for 45-60 minutes. Once finished, allow to cool before peeling away skin and slicing the squash into cubes. If you like your squash a little toasty, coat a baking pan with cooking spray and bake at 350° for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cubes are a slight golden brown. (Feel free to work on the rest of the recipe while squash is initially baking, or even cook and cube the squash the night before.)
Prepping the Grains:
Brown rice and quinoa have slightly different cooking times so you may want to prepare them separately. If you’re crunched for time or patience, you can totally get away with cooking them together (as I’ve done on many an occasion).
Quinoa needs to be rinsed very thoroughly to remove it’s natural coating of saponin (otherwise, under rinsed quinoa can taste bitter). The best way to do this is using a quality nut milk bag
Put rinsed quinoa in a pot and add one cup of water, one clove of minced garlic, one vegetable bouillon cube and salt and pepper to taste (this will add an extra layer of flavor for your salad).
Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat, cover with a lid and allow to continue cooking another 15 minutes (until water is absorbed). Remove lid and allow to rest off heat for another five minutes before fluffing with a fork.
For brown rice, you don’t need to rinse it but will otherwise repeat the same steps for cooking it as the quinoa. Combine the rice with one cup of water in a pot over the stove. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat, cover with a lid.
Allow 20 minutes on a lower heat (until water is absorbed) and allow the rice to rest afterward 10-20 minutes off heat with the lid on. If you like your rice a little crunchier, you can rest it a shorter length of time, if you like it chewier, rest a little longer.
If cooking the rice and quinoa together, go with the full cooking time of the rice.
Assembling the Salad
Once you have all the components ready, just layer them together in a serving dish and you’re ready to go! Kale first, followed by an even coating of rice, quinoa, butternut squash and feta cheese. Use your judgment with the cheese; you probably won’t need the entire container, just a nice even sprinkling.
Tips For Serving
If you’re preparing the day before a dinner or get together, hold off on adding the nuts, cheese, and dressing until right before serving. You can also consider setting these components in small dishes on the side so that guests can add nuts and cheese as needed, just in case anyone has a food allergy or sensitivity.
For dressing, I like a good drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. But most any vinaigrette will pair well together with this salad.
Related Salad Recipes:
All writing and images copyright © 2017 Rachel Elise Weems Woods
Published 05-12-2017. Updated 10-28-2020.
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