Kale, Quinoa & Sweet Potato with Dreamy Avocado Sauce

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 4 cups kale, destemmed and chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened if possible)
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced

For the Avocado Dressing:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
• 2–3 tbsp water (to thin as needed)

Instructions

1. Roast the Sweet Potato: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss diced sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender.

2. Cook the Quinoa: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, cook quinoa according to package instructions (usually 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, simmered until water is absorbed).

3. Massage the Kale: Add chopped kale to a large bowl. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and massage with your hands for about 1-2 minutes to soften the leaves.

4. Make the Dressing: Blend all dressing ingredients together until smooth, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

5. Assemble the Salad:

   • Add the cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, red onion, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries to the kale.
   • Drizzle with the creamy avocado dressing and toss well.

6. Serve & Enjoy! This salad is great fresh but also works well as meal prep for 2-3 days.

Would you like any modifications—maybe a protein addition like chickpeas? 😊