Kale & Cranberry Quinoa Salad is such a unique salad that will change your opinion of kale. The sweet maple vinaigrette offsets the bitterness of the kale for a wonderful and delicious side salad!

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Until recently, I have turned my nose up at kale. I had tried it in smoothies or as roasted kale chips and I just could not handle the bitter taste.

After committing to the 2B Mindset nutrition program, I started consuming a TON of vegetables. My Beachbody coach encouraged me to keep trying new vegetables because our palates do change, it just takes time.

Sure enough, here I am, eating kale and actually enjoying it!

Here at Living Practically, I like to do things simple, especially in the kitchen because life is busy. Most recipes you find here are healthy, with the exception of some easy desserts that are worthy to be enjoyed in moderation.

KALE & CRANBERRY QUINOA SALAD

Kale & Cranberry quinoa salad is a great option for lunch if you are following the 2B Mindset program, counting macros, or really any diet. It has fiber filled carbs, vegetables, and with some chicken on the side would be a well balanced meal!

The ingredients can all be prepared ahead of time and then thrown together when ready to enjoy. This is a wonderful example of meal prep, even though you are just preparing the ingredients, not the whole meal.

INGREDIENTS IN KALE & CRANBERRY SALAD

QUINOA– With all of the tiny pieces, draining the quinoa can be a little tricky but I share some tips here. If you are in a pinch on time, or just trying to make your life as simple as possible, you can buy pre-made quinoa packages that just require reheating.

KALE– A large bag of kale goes a long way! Some bags are pre-washed and others require washing, so be sure to read your package label. It is best to chop the leaves up for this salad and remove the woody stems. Don’t let that half eaten bag of kale go wasted though! Use them for kale chips or stick the bag in the freezer!

SLICED ALMONDS– Toss a little cinnamon and sliced almonds in a pan to get a toasted almond, without any extra sugar. Sprinkle a little cayenne in there too to get a little heat.

CRANBERRIES– Be sure to watch the added sugar on these! I recently found the reduced sugar bag and LOVE having those on hand!

MAPLE VINAGRETTE DRESSING– I love this sweet homemade maple cider vinaigrette and always have it in the fridge. We love it on Harvest Cobb Salad.

Kale & Quinoa Salad

This Kale and Cranberry Quinoa Salad is the perfect sweet salad any time of year. We love it with a Maple Cider Vinaigrette, but a poppyseed dressing would be great too!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

½ cup dry quinoa
¾ cup sliced almonds
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cayenne optional
16 oz. curly kale ,stems removed
½ cup dried cranberries

Maple Cider Vinaigrette

⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions.
While the quinoa cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cinnamon. Toast for 2-3 minutes until they turn golden brown. Toss frequently so they don't burn.
In a mason jar, mix dressing ingredients and shake well or whisk.
Chop kale into small shreds.Add all ingredients together and toss well.