Creamy Beet & Avocado Power Salad

I just cant stop it with the kale & quinoa salads. They're too good, too healthy, too filling, too delicious. This one is based on a recipe I found for a raw kale salad with creamy avocado vinaigrette. I added a thing or seven. And hot damn, if i do say so myself.  

What you need:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3 avocados, chunked
• 2 medium beets, cubed
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons walnut oil
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• salt & pepper
• blue cheese crumbles
• the desire to eat the shit outta some salad

What you do:

Boil the beats until cooked through, 45 minutes to an hour. Run under cool water, peel, and cube. 

Cook the quinoa and set aside. Keep covered and warm. Separate the kale leaves from the stem, chop and steam. Mix the kale, quinoa, and beets in a giant bowl (super huge).

Add 2 chunked avocados, garbanzo beans, carrot, and sunflower seeds. Mix salad well. Carefully and without spilling it all over the floor. 

Place the third avocado into a food processor with the walnut oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until smooth and creamy. 

Toss the salad with the dressing, and be gluttonous with your dressing portion. The creamy vinaigrette/quinoa combo is what's UP. Sprinkle some blue cheese crumbles over that bad boy and get ready to stuff your face. Maybe just put it in a trough and use a shovel. Try to remember to breathe!

This makes about 6 extremely large salads for very hungry people. To save leftovers, set some of the salad aside before smothering it in dressing! Without dressing it will keep for 1-2 days, and give you nonstop nutrients and power to take over the world.

Tamari-ginger Kale & Quinoa Salad

I can't stop eating kale and quinoa salads, and I'm not sorry about it. Not even a little bit sorry. I'm extremely not sorry about attempting to recreate salad concepts created by actual professionals that got me on this kick, shamelessly, and usually with more avocado. And always quinoa and kale. Why would you ever make a salad without quinoa and kale?

Here's one that my carnivorous manly man has enthusiastically eaten for two dinners in a row, which I think is a pretty solid indication of a damn tasty power salad.

What you need:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• fine-grain sea salt
• 2 cups chopped snow peas
• 1 large carrot, peeled and ribboned
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 2 cups shelled edamame, blanched
• 2 avocados, pitted and cubed
• 1 large shallot, finely sliced
• handful cilantro, chopped
• handful Thai basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• sesame seeds

What you do:

Cook the quinoa and set aside. Keep covered and warm. Separate the kale leaves from the stem, chop, and steam. Mix the kale and quinoa in a HUGE bowl (for real, huge), and add some sprinkles of salt to (light) taste. 

Add the snow peas, carrot, bell pepper, edamame, and mix. Add the avocado, shallot, cilantro, Thai basil, and mix. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger, tamari, lime juice, and garlic until combined.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss incessantly. Get wild. Make sure you're listening to some funky tunes and shimmy a little while you do this, because you're so effing excited about this salad. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and eat your face off (or chill it and eat it cold if you prefer, but you have to dance the whole time it's chilling).

This makes about 4 HANGRY-sized salads. Or maybe 5-6 normal person salads. (If you want leftovers, set some of the mixed salad aside without the dressing, and add the dressing later. It keeps well sans-dressing for a day or two!)

Funk yeah power salad!