Pomegranate + Kale & Walnut Quinoa

This is a quick, healthy, and beautiful recipe that I adapted from a recipe at Pinch of Yum. It's the best kind of food - great inside and out. The salad is simple - quinoa, pomegranate seeds walnuts, and kale. The slightly sweet and tangy dressing can be easily made in a food processor with just a few simple ingredients. I'm not sure you could get healthier than this:

 - quinoa for whole grains and plenty of protein (also great for those on gluten-free diets)
 - pomegranate (lots of antioxidants)
 - kale (cruciferous vegetable packed with calcium, vitamins, and minerals),
 - walnuts (omega-3s)

I mean, this is really a powerhouse of a salad. And it's beautiful to look at!

This is a great salad to serve for the holidays - it's pretty (the pomegranate seeds look like little rubies), filling, and a great complement to almost any dish. I love the subtle fruity burst when you bite into the pomegranate seeds. If you like, a sprinkling of goat cheese or feta can work with this too. This salad can easily stand on its own for lunch or a light dinner as well!

Pomegranate, Kale, & Walnut Quinoa 

For the salad... 

1 cup pomegranate seeds (if you're new to pomegranate, please take a look at this tutorial on extracting the seeds. Otherwise you'll have blood-red mini bombs exploding all over you)

2 cups chopped kale

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)

For the dressing....

1/2 cup minced onion or shallot

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Juice of half a lemon

1. Prepare two cups of cooked quinoa. While cooking, prepare pomegranate seeds and chop kale and walnuts. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. 

Aren't these pretty?

2. Prepare dressing. Start by cooking shallot/onion in 1/2 tbsp olive oil until fragrant

3. Combine shallot/onion, remaining 1.5 tbsp olive oil, honey, water, apple cider vinegar, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor

4. Pulse until thoroughly combined 

5. Pour dressing over salad and toss lightly

6. Stir in 1/2 cup of feta or goat cheese if you like

This salad is a great way to end or start the year on a healthy note - Enjoy!