I was recently out in California visiting my parents for a week. We had so much fun celebrating the New Year! A few of my close friends came down with their families and stayed the night for New Year’s Eve. Let me tell you celebrating in our 30’s sure does look different from celebrating in our 20’s!!! We had our kids and husbands there, we were with my parents and at one point I realized it was only 8:30 and I wasn’t sure I’d make it to midnight. 🙂 It was great to catch up with the girls and watch my kids play with one of my best friends kids.
My parents live in Orange County. At the end of their street is a hiking trail that everyone, including my little guys, had been on but me. I’m not sure how that happened but this trip I got to head up myself and see the amazing views from up there. The marine layer was coming in but I could make out Catalina Island from up there and see for miles up and down the coast. It was gorgeous. The temps were great too. While there was frost up here in Oregon we were hitting nearly 80 with a nice breeze.
I also got to go through my Mom’s recipes and she made this beautiful salad for us to snack on after our workout. (Yes, I worked out with her while I was out there and I’m pretty proud of that!) This salad was so tasty!!! It came from a friend of her’s and I’m so glad we made it. This salad looks beautiful and tastes amazing. Full disclosure we forgot the red cabbage when I took some pics then added it later but we ate it all before I could get more pictures. It was great both with and without it but the more color you eat the more vitamins and nutrients you’ll get, so I say add it in. 🙂 We used more of this salad for an awesome dinner later that night. I’ll have to share that with you all soon.
Ingredients
Kale Salad
- 1 bunch of kale
- ½ c cooked quinoa
- ½ c red cabbage
- ½ c cilantro
- medium carrot diced
- ½ c candied walnuts
Papaya Vinaigrette
- 1 ½ t fresh ginger grated
- ¼ c fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. rice vinegar
- 2 oz. agave nectar
- ½ c. papaya diced
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Kale Salad
- wash Kale and remove the stems from the center so you're left with the leaves
- chop kale leaves into bite size pieces add to large salad bowl
- chop red cabbage into small pieces and add to kale
- chop cilantro and carrots and add into the kale
- add in quinoa to salad and toss with papaya dressing
- top with candied walnuts and enjoy!
Papaya Vinaigrette
- combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth
- slowly add in oil as blender runs so that dressing emulsifies.
TJ says
I made this as a side to our Memorial BBQ. I love kale – the earthiness in the flavor and the texture in the leaves. Put together with the rest of the ingredients and I was in heaven. This has become one of my go to salads and dressings.
Kayla Seah says
This looks just perfect. Can’t wait to make your papaya vinaigrette!
Aubrey Cota says
Thanks Kayla!