*If you are looking for the perfect salad to go along with your holiday meal to balance out all of those unhealthy goodies, this Kale and Quinoa Sweet Potato is perfect!* You guys, I can't even explain how many times I think about what I (we) will eat next when we are on vacation. Mix that vacation with a HOLIDAY vacation, and basically all I think about is what I'll have for breakfast, where we are going for lunch, is there a dessert place near by, how about a holiday dinner, and will there be a chocolate fountain that I can lay under before I go to bed?
Obviously I should see a doctor about this obsession, or be put in a straight jacket, but let's put all those issues aside for a second to talk about this salad.
This is the salad that you make if you want people to eat kale.
This is the salad you make if you've had too many bites of gingerbread cookies, even one that you found on the floor.
This is the salad that you bring to a holiday dinner so that you can have your garlic butter cream cheese mashed potatoes sitting next to it on your Christmas plate.
This is THE salad.
Will it cancel out the chocolate cake or the 'we stopped counting at 7' rolls you've had.
No.
But at least you had kale on Christmas, and for some people that just might be the Christmas miracle.
Especially if your my husband, because that fool has a serious Christmas roll problem. And yet he maintains that 150 pound figure so well...
Kale and Quinoa Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head of kale, rinsed and chopped/thinly sliced and chopped
- 1/2 c. dry quinoa, cooked according to package directins
- 2 sweet potatoes/yams, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 TB. olive oil
- salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries
- 1/2-3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 c. chopped pecans, roasted and salted
- (dressing)
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 c. red wine vinegar
- 1/4 c. dijon mustard
- 1/4 c. pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- salt/pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- On a baking sheet, add the chopped potatoes. Coat with the olive oil and toss. Sprinkle with a good toss of salt, pepper, a little bit of cinnamon, and a few dashes of nutmeg. (No measuring, just coat.) Toss the potatoes around, and roast in the oven for 10-20 minutes, occasionally tossing them. Roast until the potatoes are soft.
- While the potatoes are roasting, assemble the salad.
- To a bowl add the kale, quinoa, cranberries, feta, and pecans. Toss.
- Once the potatoes are done and COOL, add them to the salad.
- When you are ready to serve, make the dressing.
- Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and coat the salad. (you might not need all of the dressing.)
- Serve immediately.
- (If you are making this for a party, add the dressing before eating the salad.)
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I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and holiday season!! May your hearts and belly's be full!