Kale and Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

in Cherries & Berries, Chicken & Turkey, Goat cheese, Kale, Lighter & Healthier, Quinoa, Salads, Strawberries

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Today should be “Garden Friday” where I show you how I somehow managed to make it another 7 days without killing the green things growing in my backyard. But it’s raining outside. Like, “you shoulda’ built that ark” raining. So instead of showing you our first zucchini, or telling you about my peach tree dropping all but 6 fruit [sob], and that the beast Juliet tomato plant is loaded with almost-ready-to-pick tomatoes… I’ll just show you what I did with my recent kale overload.

I made salad.

I have introduced you to my favorite salad before. And this is its one-course-dinner cousin.

It’s what happens when strawberry season meets I-can’t-believe-I-went-30-days-without-goat-cheese meets holy-crap-I-planted-way-too-much-Kale. So like nearly everything else on my menu, it meets the requisite 2 parts desperation.

The salad is a perfect host for the beautiful strawberries that are coming out of the markets (and my backyard) right now. And the strawberries-goat cheese combo?

Nearly as perfect as chocolate and peanut butter.

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Because I had leftover chicken in the fridge, I used that to top the salads for a quick, light dinner. Or, for you Honey Boo Boo watchers, a “multimeal” 🙂

Don’t have two pots full of kale on your back patio? Use spinach instead! And don’t forget, this is a “cold salad” – the quinoa has to be cooked and cooled before so it doesn’t turn your kale into a bowl full of sad, wimpy greens.

Kale and Quinoa Salad with Strawberries and Goat Cheese

Fresh strawberries, kale, quinoa, and goat cheese come together for a perfectly light spring or summer dinner. Just add leftover chicken to make it a little heartier.

Ingredients

  • For the salad
  • 2 cups cooked and chilled quinoa (from 1 cup uncooked)
  • 3 oz kale, chopped (about half a bag or clam shell)
  • 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • Leftover grilled chicken, optional (I used this wet rub)
  • For the dressing
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
  • 1 Tbsp spicy brown or dijon mustard (I use Creole)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add the chopped greens, cold quinoa (it must be cold so it doesn't wilt the salad), crumbled goat cheese, and strawberries.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, and mustard.
  3. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Before serving, toss the dressing with the salad and serve topped with sliced chicken.
  5. Leftovers will keep a couple of days covered in the fridge.

Notes

Yields: 6 generous servings

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 20 minutes

9 comments… add one
  • I’ve only eaten kale as kale chips so I should probably try this, everything sounds so good.

  • I have a ton of spinach and strawberries in my fridge right now and have been trying to figure out what the heck to do with them. Problem solved, thanks! 🙂

    And Happy Mother’s Day!

  • This salad is so calling my name. Anything with strawberries! I hope the weather picks back up for you soon. Rain is so depressing sometimes.

  • Yum-reminds me of summer!

  • This salad is so pretty and I’m all about anything with strawberries and goat cheese!

  • I am so jealous of your overabundance of kale!! I want!!

    I love the strawberry goat cheese combo. Throw some kind of bean in there for good measure and I’ll have a bowl for lunch!

  • I love everything about this combo…. I could eat this for every meal and be so so happy! And, I’m super jealous of your over-abundance of kale in your garden!

  • This salad is such a stunner!!

  • Julie

    I planted way too much kale & spinach, so I’m with you! Looking forward to trying this recipe…the ingredients are clean & this salad is just what I need!

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