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Warm Quinoa and Kale Salad with Roasted Veggies

Packed with fluffy quinoa, hearty kale, plenty of roasted veggies, and crispy chickpeas, our Warm Quinoa and Kale Salad is something you’re going to want at your disposable all year long. This super healthy, filling meal can be made ahead of time, served warm, room temperature, or cold, making it perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients

    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
    • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
    • 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
    • 2 cups cubed sweet potato (1/2-inch dice), about 2 medium sweet potatoes
    • 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • 3 cups chopped curly kale
    • 1/2 cup sliced almonds (can also use walnuts or pecans)
    • 1/4 - 1/2 cup lemon vinaigrette

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Rinse quinoa well under cold water. Add chicken stock to a medium sauce pan. Add quinona and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and let the quinoa cook until all the water has absorbed. Fluff with a fork, remove from heat, and cover again. Let the quinoa sit covered until you're ready to assemble.
  3. While the quinoa cooks, roast the vegetables. Pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel. Add the sweet potatoes on 1/3 of the sheet pan. Place the fennel in the middle third and the sweet potatoe on the remaining third. Drizzle all the veggies and chickpeas evenly with olive oil. Use your hands to make sure everything is coated. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/4 teaspon salt and brown sugar. Again, use your hands to make sure all veggies and chickpeas are coated. Spread everyting evenly out on the sheet pan. You don't want anything too close together or they will steam instead of roast. Place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Pull the sheet pan out and toss the veggies and chickpeas so they don't burn. Place back in the oven and continue to roast until fennel is caramelized, sweet potatoes are soft, and chickpeas are crispy, another 10-15 minutes. If the anything is getting too brown or cooks faster than the other items, remove them from the sheet pan and set aside.
  4. While the quinoa cooks and the veggies roast, make the vinaigrette and massage the kale. Chop the kale into bite size pieces and then use your hands to massage the kale - this will help release all the bitterness in the kale, set aside.
  5. When you're ready to assemble, add the warm quinoa to a serving bowl. Add the kale on top, toss until the kale starts to wilt. Add half of the roasted veggies and chickpeas to the quinoa and kale along with the nuts and 1/4 cup of the dressing. Toss until coated. If you need more vinaigrette, add more to suit your taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining roasted veggies and chickpeas on top of the salad. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.