Healthy kale and quinoa salad recipe with Mexican flavors, including black beans, pepitas, and a cumin-lime dressing. Gluten free, easily vegan (skip the cheese), and packs great for lunch. Recipe yields 4 medium servings.
Ingredient:
Salad
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
2 cups water
½ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
1 small bunch of curly green or Tuscan kale, tough ribs removed and chopped into small pieces (or about 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach)
Fine sea salt
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
½ cup thinly sliced green onions or finely chopped red onion
½ cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
1 to 2 medium jalapeños, seeds and membranes removed, chopped
Cumin-lime dressing
¼ cup olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 medium limes)