Autumn Kale and Quinoa Salad with Spiralized Apples
Try this Autumn Kale and Quinoa Salad with Spiralized Apples recipe
Try this Autumn Kale and Quinoa Salad with Spiralized Apples recipe
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
- for the dressing:
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 6 cups chopped kale
- 1.5 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1.5 cups water + more as needed
- 2 apples (i like honey crisp!)
- 1/4 cup pecans to garnish
- Carbohydrate 19.1412324982542 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 6.024662497819 g
- Fiber 1.9832734372372 g
- Protein 3.98488515624364 g
- Saturated Fat 0.792973999698847 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (40g)
- Sodium 45.752380208205 mg
- Sugar 17.1579590610169 g
- Trans Fat 0.246095249940938 g
- Calories 147 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the butternut squash. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Let bake for 25 minutes or until fork tender.
- While butternut squash cooks, cook the quinoa. Place the quinoa and water in a saucepot, bring to a boil, and then reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked through, adding water if needed.
- A few minutes before the squash is ready, prepare the dressing: place all ingredients into the bottom of a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add in the kale, massage into the kale with fingertips for 15 seconds and then set aside.
- Spiralize the apple with Blade C and add to the large bowl (with the dressed kale) along with the cooked butternut squash and quinoa. Toss well to combine and divide into plates. Top with goat cheese and pecans.
A raw ingredient list fails to convey how mechanical disruption transforms fibrous winter greens. Professional kitchens rely on physical friction to break down tough cell walls before raw vegetables hit the dining room.
- Roast the butternut squash at 400 degrees Fahrenheit on parchment-lined sheets, removing it only when a metal skewer slides through the cubes with zero resistance.
- Massage the chopped kale vigorously with the acid-and-oil dressing for 15 seconds to denature the tough cellulose and soften the bite.
- Simmer the quinoa in water for 15 minutes, ensuring the germ separates from the seed to yield a fluffy base instead of a dense paste.
- Substitute the goat cheese with an equal volume of toasted pumpkin seeds if avoiding dairy, maintaining the necessary fat balance against the tart apple cider vinegar.
- Spiralize the apples using Blade C to create delicate strands that intertwine evenly with the grains rather than sinking to the bottom of the bowl.
Acidic components like apple cider vinegar chemically react with the natural alkalinity of raw brassicas, neutralizing harsh notes while rendering the greens tender enough to absorb neighboring flavors. Cooled roasted starches balance these sharp elements through Maillard-induced surface sugars.
