Bright Summer Quinoa Salad

For those of you who, like me, enjoy a fresh salad during the summer days. This one is for you. It´s got zestiness, sweetness, and just the right amount of crunch.

I won´t give you the measurements for the salad because you have to measure with your heart and generally everyone likes there salads with different ratios of ingredients.

Salad Ingredients:

Quinoa

Kale

Pomegranate seeds

Cranberries

Cucumbers

Toasted Almonds

Parsley

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tsp Lemon juice

1 tsp Olive oil

1 tsp Maple syrup or honey (depends on how sweet you like it)

1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard

I usually start by slicing some almonds, by hand generally so i can control the size. I toast this in a pan with some salt until it gets a little brown. Put to the side to cool off.

Get your quinoa ready by rinsing it in cold water and draining. Then cook in water with a pinch of salt for 10-15 min on low heat, until the water is absorbed, make sure to stir it often.

Chop Cucumber into small cubes, and half the cranberries.

Once you have all your veggies chopped as you like them, then you can begin to assemble the salad. First I start by placing the kale in the bowl, then I like to drizzle some olive oil and salt on to it so that I can message the leaves. This breaks down the tough fibres and makes it all the more enjoyable to eat. Once the kale has been massaged, add in the quinoa, cucumbers, toasted almonds (leave some for the garnish), and cranberries. Toss it all with the salad dressing, and top it off with some parsley, pomegranate seeds and the last bits of of toasted almonds. Enjoy!