Salads for meal prep can be a bit tricky, but this one is pretty great and holds up all week! Plus, it’s full of all kinds of goodness and fills you up so you’re not hungry an hour later. As good as this salad is, I think my favorite part is just how flexible it is. I’m sure there’ll be other variations for future meal preps!
THE RECIPE
- the greens – I used kale in here and, as someone who used to hate kale, this feels like an achievement. I learned why I used to dislike it and it all comes down to how it’s prepared! a simple, quick extra step makes all the difference
- the veg – I used some cooked bell peppers, black beans, corn, and avocado to give this salad lots of flavor
- the protein – ground turkey cooked with some taco seasoning is amazing in this salad. so much flavor!
- the dressing – I found an avocado ranch that was the perfect addition to this salad. I opted for a creamy dressing rather than a viniagrette, I didn’t want extra acidity
WANT MORE SALADS?
I’ve got you covered:
- apple cranberry quinoa salad
- caprese salad
- summer salad
- grilled summer salad
- salad with raspberry viniagrette
Yield: 5 salads
Kale & Quinoa Southwest Salad
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
35 minutes
This Kale & Quinoa Southwest Salad is an amazing meal prep or weeknight dinner! It's full of all kinds of goodness and fills you up so you're not hungry an hour later. It'll hold up all week too, so it's ready whenever you're hungry.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tsp salt
- 2-3 cups kale
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 3 Tbsp oil, divided
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 2 bell peppers, cut into bite sized pieces
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado
- avocado ranch dressing
Instructions
- cook the quinoa: in a medium pot, combine the quinoa, 2 tsp salt, and 2 cups water. bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. set aside to cool
- prep the kale: remove the stems of the kale and cut into small, bitesized pieces. transfer to a bowl and add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tbsp oil, and salt to taste. massage with your hands and set aside
- cook the meat: heat a large skillet over medium high heat. add 1 tbsp oil and the meat. press the meat into the pan to create one even layer and let cook for 5 minutes or until the meat is browned. flip and use a spatula to break the meat into small, bite sized pieces. add the taco seasoning and 1/3 cup of water. let simmer for 5 minutes before transfering into a bowl
- cook the peppers: add the final tablespoon of oil to the pan the meat was cooked in. over medium heat, add in the bell peppers and salt and pepper to taste. cook until they're done to your liking, I cooked them for about 8 minutes
- assemble and enjoy: when ready to eat, combine the kale and quinoa. top with the bell peppers, corn, black beans, avocado, and dressing. enjoy!
A bowl of delights brought together by the avocado.