Pesto Quinoa Salad with Wilted Kale

I hardly know what to rave about more - the color or flavor of this gorgeous salad. Curlycue quinoa in a pesto-laced vinaigrette with wilted kale and roasted red peppers. As easy as it is refreshingly divine.

This salad is incredibly easy to make. Quinoa cooks like rice, so that's a simple process right from the start. Then, it's a matter of folding things all together in a big bowl. And, most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so you can whip up this winning salad in a flash.

About the vegetables: I used kale and roasted red peppers, but you can substitute any vegetables you have on hand. Broccoli and spinach would be great substitutes for the kale. Regular bell peppers would work in place of roasted. Have fun with it.

A few tips for making perfect quinoa every time:

• Always rinse quinoa under cold water before cooking. Quinoa contains saponins, naturally occurring phytochemicals (plant compounds) that can be bitter and actually foam up the cooking water (just like some legumes do when you don't rinse them). Saponins actually get their name from soap suds, because they lather up. We don't want soapy-looking quinoa, so rinse the grain before cooking.
• Use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa, just like rice.
• Cook the quinoa uncovered (the package will tell you to cover it). This prevents the grain from getting mushy. Once the liquid is absorbed, THAT'S when you cover the pan for a quick, 5-minute steam (off the heat).

About the pesto: I called for 1 tablespoon basil pesto, with the option to add more. Sometimes I think "more isn't more" when it comes to pesto; it can overpower a dish. Especially a salad. In this dish, I love how you get a subtle pesto flavor - basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese - just enough to compliment the other flavors in the salad. I suggest you start with 1 tablespoon and, if you feel like you need more, add another spoonful when you season to taste with salt and pepper.

This recipe is easy to double if you need to serve more. I actually tripled the recipe and brought the salad to a picnic. It was perfect because I didn't have to worry about food safety (no meat, no mayo).

Pesto Quinoa Salad with Wilted Kale

1 cup quinoa
1 bunch fresh kale, rinsed well and chopped
2 tablespoons olive  oil
1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto, or more to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
Salt and ground black pepper

Pour the quinoa into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water (don't skip this step, see above). Drain and transfer the quinoa to a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and set the pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and gently simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed (if necessary, reduce the heat as the water reduces). Fold in the kale.
Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the kale. Cover, and let stand for 5 minutes (this steams the quinoa and releases those cute little curls).
In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, olive oil and vinegar. Add the quinoa and toss gently to coat. Fold in the roasted red peppers. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, add a little more pesto.
Serve room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Serves 4