Beet and Quinoa Salad with Steamed Kale and Chickpeas

Serves 2
Ingredients:

  • 1 small bunch beets (approximately 4 small beets), roasted and chopped into ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • ½ bunch Lacinato kale (approximately 10 leaves), deribbed and thinly sliced

  • ½ cup chickpeas
  • ¼ cup pine nuts

  • 3½ teaspoons of olive oil (2 teaspoons for the beets + 1½ teaspoons for the salad)
  • ½ teaspoon of Celtic salt (¼ teaspoon for the beets + ¼ teaspoon for the quinoa + seasoning)

Roasted beet prep :
Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash, trim, and dry the beets. Cut them in half, then place them on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Rub in the oil and salt and evenly coat. Wrap the aluminum tightly around the beets. Place on a baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Let them cool, then rub a paper towel over them to remove the skins.

Quinoa prep:
Boil 1¼ cups of water with ¼ teaspoon Celtic salt. Pour in 1 cup quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender and fluffy, about 15 minutes. Turn off flame but keep the lid on and let sit for 5 minutes.

Chickpea prep:
Rinse one cup of dried chickpeas picking out any stones. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover completely with water. Let soak overnight. The next day, strain and rinse the chickpeas, then place them in a medium sauce pan, and cover with water. Add a big pinch of salt, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer with the lid on. Cook for about 40-50 minutes, or until soft, but not mushy. Drain and rinse well. Let cool.

If you want to use chickpeas from a can, please make sure the product is organic. Organic canned beans should only contain water, salt, and beans. To use canned chickpeas for this recipe, just open the can, rinse the beans slightly, and add to recipe.

Kale prep:
In a medium saucepan, heat ¼ cup of water. Keep the heat low and add the chopped kale, dash of salt. Cover and let soften for a couple minutes, making sure that the kale still retains some crunch. Drain the excess water, and let cool.

Final prep:
Combine beets, cooked quinoa, kale, chickpeas, pine nuts, 1½ teaspoons of olive oil, and another touch of Celtic salt (if desired).