Sometimes, a warm, hearty salad is your best dinner option during the work week. An even better reason to honor Meatless Monday, this salad also celebrates foods that promotes heart health. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and will not leave you feeling like you need more.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 4 cups kale
• 1 cup red kidney beans
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 large avocado
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Prepare quinoa on the stove according to packaging instruction, and pour into a salad bowl to cool. Wash then steam kale for about 2-3 minutes, and remove from pot to cool. In the meantime, start the dressing. Combine one half of the avocado, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon zest (about a teaspoon), and juice from the lemon (add gradually, so that you can taste it) in a bowl or blender pitcher. Liquify completely then adjust ingredients to taste. Add kale to salad bowl and toss with dressing.

Cube the remaining half of the avocado and dot the top of the salad, along with pomegranate seeds and kidney beans. Serve immediately.

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