This recipe was inspired by a kale salad served at The Plant Cafe in San Francisco (the holy land for organic foodies). The Plant's version has large torn pieces of kale with minimal quinoa and I always thought the flavors would be fantastic in a tabouleh-like style. Enter : the cuisinart. My version uses shaved curly kale, finely minced carrots and shallots, doubles or triples the quinoa, and adds the critical new flavor of cilantro. The cilantro adds a wonderfully fresh dimension and really compliments the lemon cumin vinaigrette (which I've also adjusted to include a kick of dijon.) <br /> <br />I love this salad for its versatility, acting as a side or a main. It is vegan, gluten-free, and all ingredients can be easily found organic throughout the year. It is chalk full of super foods - kale, quinoa, almonds, avocado, and carrots and packed with protein. It's the ultimate health food while still being lick-the-plate taste worthy. <br /> <br />Arguably the best part of this salad, however, is how it can make a kale lover out of the most adamant kale skeptics. I've found most people who avoid the leafy green cite it's toughness as their biggest turn-off. This version benefits from the toughness, as only kale can really hold it's own against shredding in a food processor. The resulting kale is both hearty and tender - the perfect yin yang of a dark leafy green. <br /> <br />You can also view this recipe on my blog : http://pinkbrandywine.tumblr.com/post/73025006163/kale-and-quinoa-salad

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