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The Urben Life

A food and lifestyle blog by Jenna Urben

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

November just flew by and I can’t believe I’m hitting publish on this post on the first Monday of December. The weather here in Dallas is currently 45 so it’s finally starting to feel like winter is on the way. It’s been crazy up and down lately, so I’m definitely still in the fall mindset.

I may be moving from pumpkins to peppermint but I’m keeping my favorite fall roasted vegetables on rotation. Lately, we’ve been having a lot of brussels sprouts, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, and sweet potatoes. So what do you do when you have leftover veggies? Toss them in a quinoa bowl!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

One of my favorite lunches for the past few years have been quinoa bowls but sometimes I like to jazz it up a bit with massaged kale and a fun dressing. So, then is it technically a salad now?

When I posted this on Instagram and Facebook, quite a few people messaged me asking what massaged kale is. Well, it’s what it sounds like! If you haven’t tried it before, prepare to be amazed. It’s really the only way I eat kale now… It’s that awesome.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

How to Massage Kale

If you have never worked with kale before, that’s okay! Follow these quick and easy directions for the best kale you’ve ever tasted. Start by stripping the leaves from the stems. Wash and dry the leaves then tear or chop into small to medium pieces. Place in a large bowl with your dressing. Using your hands, massage until the kale starts to soften, about 3 minutes. That’s it, you’re done! Ready to go. Simple, right?

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

This quinoa bowl or salad is great for leftovers, easy meal-prepped lunches, and even filling enough for dinner. Don’t have butternut squash on hand? Try using sweet potatoes instead. This fall inspired bowl is super versatile, so be sure to share your creations with me.

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.
5 from 5 votes
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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

Ingredients

For the quinoa

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the apple cider vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey (omit/replace if vegan)
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

for the massaged kale

  • 1 bunch kale

for the roasted vegetables

  • 1 butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts trimmed and halved

Instructions

  1. To make flavorful quinoa, place quinoa in a strainer and shake to rinse thoroughly. Place quinoa, broth, olive oil, and salt into your rice cooker. Let cook, about 35 minutes, then fluff with a fork once done.

  2. To make the Apple Cider Vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

  3. To massage the kale, strip the leaves from each stem. Wash and dry the leaves then tear or chop into small to medium pieces. Place into a large bowl with a few tablespoons of dressing. Using your hands, massage until the kale starts to soften and change colors, about 3 minutes.

  4. To roast the vegetables, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare two baking sheets. Toss vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Cook until tender and browned.

  5. To serve, lay down a bed of massaged kale, portion out quinoa, top with roasted vegetables, and drizzle with additional apple cider vinaigrette.

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Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Massaged Kale is the perfect fall lunch bowl tossed with a delicious homemade apple cider vinaigrette.

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Comments

  2. I was never a kale fan until I found out about massaging it. This is such a perfect main dish. I’m glad that butternut squash is available year round!

    Reply

  9. Simply delicious and so many flavors I love together. I need to start making big batches of quinoa salad again for lunch. So easy and so delicious.

    Reply

  20. Hmm, I have a butternut to cook up and just love Brussels sprouts. I might need to pick up one of those brussels stalks at Trader Joe’s today to make this! And you reminded me, I think I’m out of Dijon too! This salad looks just divine and so inspired for lunch.

    Reply

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