Kale & Quinoa Salad

California here we come, right back where we started from! Our recent trip back to our home state provided everything we needed: a break from day to day life, time at the beach and a walk down memory lane! Staying with my sister and brother-in-law about 1 mile from the coast was the perfect location for easy access to all our favorite haunts. Beach and restaurant-hopping were on repeat – of course. We saw some beautiful dolphins, went to Balboa Island for our favorite Balboa bars, rode the ferry to Newport, went to the wedge to watch the crazy surf, stopped at the Balboa Pavilion Restaurant where we got engaged and took a walk on the Newport Pier. We even went by the house where Bill grew up, saw his elementary school and ate at his favorite restaurant in Newport, Mi Casa. We also ate at the Harbor House Café in Dana Point where Bill and I had our first meal as newlyweds. Then we enjoyed some time in my old home-town of Laguna Beach!

On one of our adventures, my sister took me to a vegetarian restaurant in San Clemente called Active Culture. I’m not a vegetarian, but if I had a personal chef, I would definitely consider it. I’m not a big meat eater anyway and prefer chicken or fish with large amounts of vegetables and salad. Although, I must admit that a juicy hamburger once in a while definitely hits the spot!

Active Culture makes flavorful wholesome food and opened their first café in Laguna Beach, California in 2010. They believe (and have proven in my opinion) that healthy food can taste great! They focus on simple, fresh, wholesome ingredients made into creative dishes that are delicious and nourishing. All of their food is made from scratch including dressings, sauces, lentil burger patties and raw almond milk. They even have a frozen yogurt bar with flavors like banana flambé, chocolate, euro tart, peanut butter, cookies ‘n cream and cheesecake.

As a first-timer, I ordered my sister’s favorite, the Eastern Trade Winds salad which was packed with quinoa, kale, garbanzo beans, red pepper, cucumber, onion, dates, peanuts and walnuts. Topped off with Active Culture’s Slammin’ Sauce (a creamy sweet and savory dressing), this simple salad was a serious contender for hamburgers everywhere.

Since we live out of state, I decided to recreate Active Culture’s Eastern Trade Winds salad to enjoy here at home. Unfortunately, making their delicious Slammin’ Sauce, presented a problem. Although I called all five of their restaurants (yes, I am persistent), no-one was giving up all of the ingredients. But I did get enough hints to make my own version which I think you’ll enjoy. If you head to California, be sure to visit Active Culture for a fresh meal you won’t forget!

What’s at the root of this food? Fresh, nutritious vegetables and grains topped with a a delicious heart-healthy dressing! Although not scientifically proven, just chewing this salad will likely promote weight loss.

Kale & Quinoa Salad

• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 4 cups fresh kale, packed
• 1 cup chopped red pepper
• 1 cup chopped English or Persian cucumber
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped dates
• ½ cup peanuts
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Cook quinoa according to package directions; set aside to cool. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans; set aside. Chop all of the remaining ingredients into small pieces (see photo). Rinse, dry and chop the kale. Rinse red pepper and chop.  Rinse, peel and chop cucumber and red onion. Chop dates and walnuts. Add all ingredients to a large bowl; stir to combine. Top with dressing and enjoy!

Dressing

• ½ cup Greek Yogurt
• 3 tsp Tahini
• 2 limes
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup olive or avocado oil
• 1-2 T honey, agave or maple syrup
• ½ tsp cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, mint and/or cilantro)

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until combined. If too thick, add a little water. Adjust sweetness to taste.

Root Notes

• Packaged kale is a good option but be sure to chop into smaller pieces. When using a bunch of kale, remove the leaves from the stem and then chop the leaves.
• If you prefer the raw kale to be soft, massage the leaves with 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil after chopping and before adding other ingredients.
• Garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) are a hidden nutritional treasure. WebMD says garbanzo beans can control blood sugar (due to their low glycemic index), improve digestion (due to their high dietary fiber), lower cholesterol thus lowering risk of heart disease, contain cancer-fighting compounds and promote stronger bones due to the calcium, magnesium, fiber and other nutrients they contain. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly and if using canned, make sure they are marked BPA free. 
• Also according to WebMD kale is considered a superfood and comes from the cabbage family. Kale is rich in several nutrients which can help lower cholesterol and prevent cancer. Kale can help with weight loss by filling you up with high water content and lower calories. I’m definitely planning on eating more Kale! 
• Feel free to use whatever nuts you prefer. I used roasted almonds because I always have them on hand. I add the nuts to individual servings so they don’t get soggy when combined with all the veggies and dressing.
• Avocado would be excellent in this salad. Add any other fruits or vegetables that you like. After all, there are no rules here…just a hearty, satisfying salad that will give you a strong nutritional boost!