Kale Salad with Lemon Miso dressing
It has been a busy summer! I’m sure everyone can relate to that. When I started this blog post the garden was in full swing, as I finish it up, I am harvesting the remaining kale and saying goodbye to the cucumbers. Hopefully you still have time to enjoy this amazing kale salad!
Kale is in the garden and vegetables abound! Sometimes it can be overwhelming when everything ripens at once and I find myself having to get creative to vary up the menu at mealtime 🤪.
A friend shared this recipe with me, the original recipe was a Kale salad with farro and various vegetables, but for me it was kale, quinoa, and whatever vegetables I had on hand. The secret ingredient is the dressing, it is a winner and that is what makes this salad amazing and worthy of sharing.
All it takes is massaging some olive oil into the kale, adding your favorite grain, your favorite vegetables, and then top with this dressing, you won’t be disappointed!
INGREDIENTS -
These are all estimates, I did not measure, so have fun!
1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
4-6 cups chopped kale
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1-2 cups broccoli, chopped
Olive oil
For the dressing -
** This makes enough dressing for the salad and some to keep in the refrigerator for your next salad creation, you will enjoy having it on hand!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Prepare the salad ingredients. If you cook up the quinoa in the morning and allow it to cool in the refrigerator, you will save time and be ready to easily combine these items together in the evening!
Start by placing the kale in a large bowl. Drizzle some olive oil over the kale and gently massage the oil into the kale, this breaks down the membranes and makes the kale more tender. Add more oil if necessary to cover all of the kale. Add the remainder of the salad ingredients and toss them together.
Either whisk together the dressing ingredients, or place in a small glass jar with a lid and shake-shake-shake! I prefer the glass jar and then it is ready to store in the refrigerator.
Add about a quarter cup of dressing to the salad and toss together. Taste test and add more if you prefer.
Enjoy!