Quinoa Salad with Kale and Sweet Potatoes

Have you ever had those times when you have abused your stomach, knowing that it is so delicate and needs to be treated with the utmost care? You know that every time you eat wheat (or any other trigger you may have), you look 5 months pregnant and feel like death warmed over, yet you still can't resist a bite of whatever it is that is sitting in front of you.

That was me this weekend. We had a busy Saturday complete with a road trip to my daughter's volleyball tournament which spanned two meals and two snack times. It wasn't that far away, distance-wise, but anywhere away from home is far to me! Add to that the fact that I didn't really plan ahead so we went empty handed rather than with a bag full of healthy foods to eat.

On our lunch run yesterday, I did manage to get a salad from the grocery store but I promptly canceled that out with lots of chips and candied pecans.

A rainy Sunday led to a lazy day, which means lazy eating habits. By the time evening hit, I was ready for something healthy. My tummy was feeling pretty disgusting and I knew that I had to feed it some good food STAT. So I took stock of the foods I had on hand and started brainstorming a recipe.

I've always noticed that when I eat quinoa, my stomach ends up feeling like it had a good and thorough scrubbing. Not in a TMI kind of way, just that I leave the table feeling satisfied, light, and clean. Eating kale has the same effect, in addition to feeling nourished and healthy. Sweet potatoes are a comfort food for me, I love the sweetness and the heartiness that they lend to my favorite dishes. When I finished eating this meal, miraculously my stomach felt better!

With the ingredients I had on hand, I came up with this delectable salad. My husband and daughters and I loved it! I was thrilled to find that there was enough leftover that I could have some for lunch tomorrow. My middle daughter who tends to gravitate towards junkier foods ate two large plates of it! YES! I hope that you, my dear reader, feel the same way!

 

Quinoa Salad with Kale and Sweet Potatoes

 

2 small sweet potatoes or one large - cut down the length and into 1/2" slices

1 head of kale, stemmed, washed, and torn into bite sized pieces

1/4 white onion, sliced

1/2 red pepper

2 c cooked quinoa

1 T coconut oil (omit if oil free, oven roast the sweet potatoes instead)

 

In a large heavy skillet, heat the coconut oil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, covered, till golden brown on both sides, flipping half way. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove potatoes from the skillet (leave heat on) and throw the onions in. Sautee those till they become golden and add the washed kale. It's OK if there is still water on it, that'll help it to steam without adding extra water. Cover and steam till kale is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.

 

Add potatoes and kale to your cooked quinoa, along with the sliced red bell peppers. Gently stir to combine all ingredients.

 

While I made this salad, I was thinking about what would be a good dressing. I thought a creamy Asian style almond butter based dressing would be perfect. While this was the dressing I made, I also thought a simple squeeze of lemon juice would also be great. I think that if you have a favorite dressing, such as a vinaigrette, or a bottled Asian dressing, go ahead and use it! Remember, make these recipes yours and tailor them to your liking.

 

Here is my dressing recipe:

 

1 heaping T almond butter

3 t tamari or soy sauce

1/4 t sesame oil

tiny bit of grated ginger

1/4 t garlic paste or minced garlic

1 t maple syrup

squirt sriracha

juice of 1/4 lemon or lime 

 

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl till smooth. Add 1-2 t water to thin out to desired consistency. Drizzle on top of individual servings of the salad.

 

Enjoy!