Warm Quinoa and Kale Salad

I am probably the only person who gives up gluten and promptly gains 5 pounds by recipe testing desserts. Gah! Thank god it’s summer, and time for salads: interesting, satisfying, protein packed salads. I’m excited, but can I sell this to the kids? They were much happier with the desserts, but the answer is yes, it just might take a couple of years.

To say that I make one delicious and nutritious meal 7 evenings a week would be an outrageous lie. Some nights are colossal disasters – tears, threats, promises, raised voices, bowls of Cheerios – but every once in a while, there’s a great victory. Recently my 3 year old ate salmon after being offered salmon for 2 years and rejecting it every single time. He’s still not big on vegetables, but you have to celebrate the wins when they happen. Which brings me to this recipe. I first came across this dish a couple of years ago on the lovely website Dinner, A Love Story. I immediately put it into my rotation. Meaning, I would make it for myself. I would make it for lunch or if my husband was out and the kids were eating something like noodles with parmesan cheese. I ate it all the time, then I stopped making it because no one would eat it with me … until now.  A few years later, my husband is more willing to jump on the quinoa bandwagon, my 4 year old is now 6 and she actually requested this for dinner. Lo and behold, dinner for one has now become dinner for three! I’m not holding out for my son, though. That would be too much to ask especially given this recent exchange below over dinner.

“Mom, I don’t like some of the foods you like,” he says. “Oh,” I say, “What foods are those?” “Vegetables,” he replies.

I can tell you now that he’ll be having a fried egg and toast.

Just this week the greens I had looked a little tired, so I made it with broccoli instead.  If you’re vegan, top with tofu or add a handful of warm chick peas. I’m thinking of trying it cold, with a hard boiled egg.