By Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff

This is a colorful, easy to prepare and nourishing salad. It makes a good addition to any meal. The deep green Dino kale and white quinoa dotted with strips of red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and slivered almonds make this salad nutritious, colorful and crunchy. The lemony vinaigrette tenderizes the kale while giving it a refreshening taste. Both quinoa and kale have a good deal of protein and they are both low in calories. One serving (150 grams) of this salad can provide 7 grams of protein while containing only 250 calories. In addition, quinoa contains other important nutrients such as iron, calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus and folate. Kale is also rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as vital minerals like calcium and potassium.

Ingredients for the vinaigrette:
¼ oil freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon or to taste salt
¼ teaspoon or more freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for quinoa:
1 cup water
½ cup quinoa
1 teaspoon oil

Ingredients for the garnish:
½ cup or less roasted, slivered almonds
10 to 12 thin strip of red bell pepper, lightly roasted with oil
10 to 12 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
2 to 3 green onions (scallions) finely chopped with their green parts

Ingredients for assembling the salad:
1½ cups of cooked quinoa
4 cups of dino kale (measure after removing thick stems and cutting into ribbons)
All the food items from garnish list

First make the vinaigrette. This step can be done a few hours ahead of time and kept chilled in the refrigerator while working on the salad. Place all of the ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it vigorously. (Or place the ingredients in a jar of an electric blender and blend it briefly). Set the vinaigrette aside or refrigerate it. Then make the quinoa. Rinse and drain quinoa completely using a fine sieve. Boil the water with a little oil and add the quinoa. Allow the mixture to simmer for two minutes. Then, lower the heat and cook quinoa covered for 10 minutes, checking after 8 minutes to ensure it is nearly done. Then turn off the flame and keep the pot covered for ½ hour.

Open the pot and spread out the grain onto a platter to let it cool. (The quinoa can be cooked ahead of time). While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the ingredients for garnish. Heat a skillet and place the slivered almonds in a single layer. Roast the nuts while stirring for a few minutes until they start to change color. Immediately transfer the nuts onto a plate and set it aside. Add a teaspoon of oil in the same hot skillet and scatter the red bell pepper strips. Cook the pepper strips while stirring for 2 minutes and then remove from the pan and set them aside.

Next, work on the kale. Separate the kale into 2 or 3 batches. Cut each batch into fine ribbons. Place the kale ribbon into a large bowl and sprinkle a tablespoon of the vinaigrette all over the kale. Then, using your fingers and palms, massage the kale for 2 minutes. Let the kale rest for 10 to 15 minutes and massage the kale again for 1 minute. To assemble everything, add quinoa to the kale and mix them together, gently but thoroughly. Top with the tomatoes, green onion, red bell pepper strips and slivered almonds. When ready to serve, drizzle the salad with vinaigrette, but be careful not to overdress it, as some of the dressing has already been used to massage the kale. Better yet, serve the vinaigrette separately on the table, along with the salad served in individual bowls, and allow diners to use as much vinaigrette as they wish.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Recipe by Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, copyright 2026. Shanta is a Sunset District resident and the author of “Cooking Together” and “Flavors of India,” available at Other Avenues Food Store at 3930 Judah St. Shanta writes recipes and articles on food and nutrition. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking classes at her home and gives cooking demonstrations for the public at SFPL branches frequently which you can find by viewing San Francisco Public Library’s event page. You can also view her recipes via videos on YouTube by searching Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff’s YouTube videos.