Thinking about making a candy bar cake this weekend? Then you’re going to need a post-cake detox, and these Two-Bite Kale Tabouli Pockets’ll do just the trick. The filling is a great base for any salad, and you can easily skip the addition of cheese and pita if you want to go vegan or gluten-free. The best part about this is that the dressing doesn’t wilt the kale and quinoa – letting it sit in the fridge for a while actually makes for a richer taste, meaning you can totally make this ahead of time and eat it all week.
Ingredients:
For salad:
– 1/2 cup quinoa
– 1 bunch dino kale, halved and cut into ribbons
– 1/2 basket of cherry tomatoes, sliced and quartered
– 1/2 english cucumber, sliced and quartered
– 1/2 bunch mint, cut into ribbons
– 4 green onions, chopped
For dressing:
– olive oil
– juice of 2 lemons
– 1 small shallot, minced
– generous pinch salt, pepper, and sugar
For pocket:
– mini pitas, lightly toasted
– generous pinch of cumin
– crumbled feta to top
Instructions:
1. Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup of water. Sprinkle a generous amount of cumin over quinoa just before you take it off the heat. Stir and set aside.
2. Remove ribs from kale. Fold kales halves over and chiffonade. Place in bowl.
3. Make the dressing by squeezing the juice of two lemons into a mason jar. Then add minced shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar, then shake to combine. Pour over kale, mix, and set aside. The dressing will help to break down the kale, which makes it more palatable. So don’t worry about leaving it out for a while – it’ll get better with time.
4. Chop tomatoes and cucumbers to similar sizes by slicing them in half, then quartering them. Add to a bowl, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then toss to combine. Chop onions and mint and add to the bowl.
5. Add chopped vegetables to the kale, and toss to combine. Then add cooked quinoa and mix together.
6. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut about a quarter off the top of each pita pocket, line them on a baking sheet and sprinkle each with cumin. Stick in oven and lightly toast, about 10-15 minutes, then remove till cool to touch.
7. Assemble pita pockets by filling each with the salad mix, then topping each off with crumbles of feta cheese.
First off, time to cook that quinoa. Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup of water. Sprinkle a generous amount of cumin over quinoa just before you take it off the heat. Stir and set aside. This is a good time to go ahead and preheat your oven to 300 degrees F, for the pitas.
Now, to prep the kale. Remove ribs from kale. Fold kales halves over and chiffonade. Place in bowl.
The base of your dressing is lemon juice. Chop two lemons in half.
Then, make the dressing by squeezing the juice of two lemons into a mason jar. Then add minced shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar, then shake to combine.
Pour over kale, mix, and set aside. The dressing will help to break down the kale, which makes it more palatable. So don’t worry about leaving it out for a while – it’ll get better with time.
Chop tomatoes and cucumbers to similar sizes by slicing them in half, then quartering them. Add to a bowl, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, then toss to combine. Chop onions and mint and add to the bowl.
Add chopped vegetables to the kale, and toss to combine. Doesn’t that look yummy?
Add the cooked quinoa and mix the whole thing together.
While your salad mix is getting good and marinated, toast your pitas. Cut about a quarter off the top of each pita pocket, line them on a baking sheet and sprinkle each with cumin. Stick in oven and lightly toast, about 10-15 minutes, then remove till cool to touch.
Last, assemble pita pockets by filling each with the salad mix, then topping each off with crumbles of feta cheese. Yum!
If you’re feeling super health-conscious, you can skip the cheese and pita. Though even with those two elements, this whole thing is pretty darn healthy!
What are your favorite quick salads or bites to make when you’re pressed for time? Talk to us in the comments below.
