Quinoa, Kale & Tomato Salad Recipe

If you’re looking to add healthy plant-based proteins into your daily Beauty Detox routine, then you’ll love this recipe. My Quinoa, Kale & Tomato Salad Recipe will fill you up with one of the most protein-rich foods out there- quinoa!

Add some amazing greens and tomato, and in no time flat you will have a beautifying salad that will not only keep you clean from the inside out, but will keep your belly full and content. After all, who likes the feeling of being hungry? I know I don’t!

Beauty Protein: Quinoa

One of the reasons I absolutely love quinoa is how you can toss it into just about anything, it’s super easy to make, and picks up the flavors of any dressing and/or seasonings. I’m all about the ease of recipes and this is a keeper when it comes to finding simple ways of adding healthy proteins into your lifestyle.

Quinoa contains greater amounts of lysine and isoleucine, which allows the protein in quinoa to serve as a complete protein source [1]. Remember, your body will mix and match and you don’t have to get complete protein in every meal—given you eat a wide variety of whole plant foods throughout the day.

Besides being high in protein, quinoa is one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids and is gluten-free.

The concentration of antioxidant flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol are certainly plentiful in quinoa—sometimes greater than their concentration of high-flavonoid berries like cranberry (and even lingonberry, if you’re familiar with those).

The overall nutrient richness of quinoa includes; high fiber, magnesium, B-vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various other beneficial antioxidants.

Daily intake in consuming quinoa has the amazing ability to lower levels of inflammation, with its wide range of anti-inflammatory nutrients present.

Though quinoa is not a cereal grass (it’s actually a relative of spinach, Swiss chard, and beets), it’s typically cooked and eaten as if it were a grain. The part that we eat is actually a seed and cooked like rice.

When preparing, it’s important to soak the quinoa (even though it’s technically a seed we treat it as a grain), at least eight hours (or overnight), to help deactivate the enzyme inhibitors that coat all grains, making them easier to digest. Soaking is super easy…just create the habit by planning ahead, throw it into a bowl with water before heading to bed and you’ll have one less thing to do during meal prep.

Beauty Greens & Digestion: Kale

If you don’t know me by now, then you may not know just how much I love and use these beauty greens in everything from my GGS®, to my salads and entrees. Yes, kale has a definite role to play in support of the body’s detoxification processes, which is high on my list in reaching your ultimate beauty goals when it comes to your overall wellbeing.

With so many toxins threatening our health, it’s critical we take charge in assisting our body’s to regulate detox activities in our cells. The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from kale’s glucosinolates have been shown to do just that.

Most toxins that pose a risk to our body must be detoxified by our cells using a two-step process. The two steps in the process are called Phase I detoxification and Phase II detoxification. The ITCs made from kale’s glucosinolates have been shown to favorably modify both detox steps [2].

In addition, the numbers of sulfur compounds in kale have been shown to help support aspects of Phase II detoxification that require the presence of sulfur. By supporting both aspects of our cellular detox process, nutrients in kale can give our body what it needs to deal with toxic exposure—this could be from our environment and our food choices.

Click here if you want additional help when it comes to your digestive health!

Kale is an excellent source of all the following: vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, and copper; vitamin B6, fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin B2; and a good source of iron, magnesium vitamin B1, omega-3 fats, phosphorus, protein, folate, and vitamin B3.

Yes, kale is one of the best dark greens you can implement into your daily routines. And don’t be afraid to try all the variety of choices out there—supplying you with an array of nutrients to keep your insides squeaky clean, and your outsides beautiful, fresh and younger looking!

Beauty Fruit: Tomato

What’s not to love about this amazing fruit? I know some of you may not like the taste or texture, but once you know how to prepare them and what they can do for your health, you may just come around to loving them as much as I do.

Tomatoes contain all three high-powered antioxidants (beta-carotene which has vitamin A activity in the body), vitamin E, and vitamin C. This is good to note since many of us get too little vitamin C and A in our diets.

Just one cup of tomato juice contains 534 milligrams of potassium and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce has 454 milligrams. Why is this so important? Because potassium is a mineral that most of us don’t get enough of and tomatoes are rich in.

We’ve already discussed how these other foods can aid in our digestion above, but guess what? Tomatoes too, will keep our digestive system healthy—preventing constipation and even diarrhea. This is because of their large amount of fiber that helps ease digestion and elimination, reducing symptoms.

What does this all mean? That you can regulate your bowel movements and improve your overall digestive health!

There are hundreds of tomato varieties out there, so be sure to look for different types so you can experience their flavors, textures, and appearances—utilizing all of their nutrients.

Let’s take a peak at these easy steps towards a delicious and simple meal!

Prepare ingredients.

Place the kale and prepared quinoa in a bowl.

Add the cherry tomatoes and celery.

Add the cucumbers.

Stir till combined and set aside as you prepare the dressing.

In a bowl add the lemon juice and tahini.

Add the olive and a pinch of salt.

Mix dressing ingredients until fully combined.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Enjoy!

See this full tasty recipe below…