Blueberry Kale Salad

This is one of my absolute favorite summer go-to’s. Kale is always on sale at summer farmers markets so I like to buy 3-4 heads and make a ton of this stuff so I can eat it throughout the whole week. You can easily make this vegetarian or add grilled salmon or grilled chicken to it for a little extra lean protein. My recipes serves 4 but you can easily make this one in bulk and you can whip this meal out in 15 minutes or less.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of kale
• 1 large lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 cup Quinoa or Seeds of Change Quinoa pack
• Blueberries
• Sliced or slivered almonds
• Grilled chicken or salmon (optional)

Directions

• Rinse and drain quinoa and get it cooking. 2 cups of water for your 1 cup. Bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until water is gone from the bottom. We like to use real quinoa but on nights we are short on time, heating up a Seeds of Change Quinoa pack is super tasty and a faster option.
• Rip the kale off the stem and tear into little pieces.
• Wash the kale in a salad spinner (if you don’t have a salad spinner, wash the kale first, then rip it) and put it in a bowl
• Squeeze the juice from one lemon and pour it into the bowl
• Add about ⅛-¼ cup of olive oil to the kale and a sprinkle of salt and pepper
• Massage the kale for about 2 minutes. Raw kale can be kind of chewy so massaging the kale does a great job of tossing the dressing and breaks it down. It sounds weird but it’s really what makes the salad great.
• Rinse and dry blueberries and toss into the kale salad with the sliced almonds (no amounts here just whatever you feel like)
• Take a pinch of kale and put it on a plate.
• Top it with quinoa and enjoy!
• Add Summer Dill grilled Salmon or chicken to the top for a little extra protein if you want it. 

Goodies In this Recipe

Blueberries-Blueberries are champs at warding off heart disease because the fiber they contain helps lower cholesterol. They are also nutrient dense and contain potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and contain added antioxidants.

Kale-Kale really does earn its place in the superfood family. At just 33 calories, one cup of raw kale has nearly 3 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber (which helps manage blood sugar and makes you feel full). It is also high in vitamins A, C, K, folate as well as B vitamins that are crucial for brain development. Crazy as it sounds, kale is also a decent source of alpha-linolenic acid--an omega-3 fatty acid--so although it has far less than fish, kale t is another way to get some healthy fat into your diet. Kale? Fat? I know. Crazy! Kale is also high in lutein and zeaxanthin which give kale it's dark green color and protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.

Quinoa- First off, quinoa is a seed, not a grain so for people with grain intolerances, quinoa is a great option. Unlike rice, quinoa is considered a complete protein meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body needs.

Almonds-Almonds are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Their protein content makes them a great add to any meal because they do not cause a spike in your blood sugar level, meaning they give you sustained energy, not a high and then a crash. One cup contains more than 100% of the daily requirement for vitamin E. The fat content of almonds is over 65% monounsaturated fat, which is excellent for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and good overall heart health. A number of scientific studies link almond consumption to reduced risk of coronary heart disease by keeping blood vessels healthy.