Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small leek, thinly sliced
- 20 kale buds, flowers removed for garnish
- ½ lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons lemon-flavored olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Why This Dish Is So Satisfying
Cooking Hints
- Massage the kale buds lightly with a bit of olive oil and salt to soften them and enhance their flavor.
- Toast nuts or seeds before adding for an extra crunch and deeper flavor.
Step 1
Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leek and cook it gently, stirring often, until it softens but doesn’t brown—this should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Next, toss in the kale buds along with the lemon zest. Keep stirring and cooking until the kale buds wilt and just begin to soften, which usually takes around 5 minutes. Be careful not to let them brown. Once that’s done, stir in the lemon juice, then take the pan off the heat and let everything cool down.
Step 2
While the veggies are cooling, combine the quinoa with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl, mixing it all well. When the leek and kale mixture has cooled, add it to the quinoa and give everything a good toss to combine. If you like, sprinkle some kale flowers on top for a pretty garnish. You can serve it right away or pop it in the fridge and bring it back to room temperature before serving.
