Red Quinoa, Kale, and Grapefruit Salad

Ingredients

10 oz. chopped kale I especially love Tuscan kale if you can find it
1/2 cup uncooked red quinoa
2 grapefruits any variety, but I believe the ones I found this day were called Pomelo
1 large ripe avocado
1/2 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

First, rinse and cook the quinoa according to the package directions. This should yield around 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. You can do this step the day before you plan to serve this salad as you want the quinoa to be chilled before adding to the salad.
Juice one of the grapefruits. This should yield around 1/3 cup or maybe a little more juice. Combine in a jar with a lid with the olive oil, mustard, and a little salt and pepper. Replace the lid and shake well so that the dressing is well combined. Taste and add a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
Segment the remaining grapefruit and chop into bite sized pieces. Remove the skin and seed from the avocado and chop into small, bite size pieces as well. In a large bowl, toss everything with the dressing just before you are ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Kale can be a bit chewy, which I think is why it sometimes gets a reputation for being TOO healthy tasting to some. I’ve found, wether you buy your kale in a bag or still in big leaves, it’s best to remove as many stems and large veins as possible. Then chop the leaves and give them a few squeezes with your clean hands. Some people call this “massaging” the kale, which might sound odd, but it really does make it more palatable. If you’re grapefruit does not yield at least 1/3 cup juice, then add enough apple cider vinegar so that the juice and vinegar equals this amount. This will add that tangy goodness to the homemade vinaigrette we make here.