Mandarin Orange and Kale Salad
Salad season doesn't end when summer fades away. This is primetime for hearty winter salads, and this superfood mandarin orange kale salad recipe with tangy citrus flavors, creamy avocado, meaty bell peppers, and buttery butternut squash will thaw your frozen heart. It's a sunny, cheerful way to fuel up during the cold winter months, and is the antidote to all the heavier flavors we're used to this time of year. It's like sunshine in a bowl!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 mandarin oranges peeled and chopped
- ⅔ cups quinoa measure before cooking
- 15 oz chickpeas drained 15 ounce can
- 1 cup butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 avocado diced
- 3 baby bell peppers seeded and diced
- 4 tbsp mint chopped (or cilantro)
- 3 pinch Salt
- ½ bunch kale stemmed chopped
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the citrus vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 limes juiced
- 1 mandarin orange juiced
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to the package. When quinoa is cooked, spread it onto a large platter or sheet pan and place it in the refrigerator to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roast butternut squash by tossing in 1 teaspoon olive oil, sprinkling with salt and smoked paprika, and roasting for 20 minutes on a sheet pan, turning once halfway. Let cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
- Make dressing by combing 2tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 mandarin and two limes. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper to your liking.
- In a large bowl add the kale, 1 pinch of salt and 1 tsp olive oil and massage through the leaves for 2-3 minutes until tender and relaxed.
- In the large bowl with the massaged kale, put chilled cooked quinoa, chickpeas, bell peppers, roasted and cooled butternut, avocado and mint or cilantro.
- Pour dressing over the top and mix well.
- Enjoy within 3 days when covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. The avocados will be preserved because of the lime and orange dressings.
Notes
This Gluten Free, Sugar Free, and Soy free salad is perfect for bulk food prep. Cook at once then package for lunches. The kale is hardy enough to withstand the dressing and the avocado will stay green for an extra day when dressed in citrus. If you want to prep for 4 days, leave out the avocado and add in when ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 14gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 57mgPotassium: 1008mgFiber: 17gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 6907IUVitamin C: 85mgCalcium: 171mgIron: 5mg
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