Kale Couscous Pomegranate Salad is a healthy salad combining massaged kale, whole wheat couscous, pomegranate arils, silvered almonds and an olive oil and lemon dressing. This salad is beautiful and makes a nice addition to a brunch or your weekly lunches or dinners. 

Kale Couscous Pomegranate Salad

Does anyone else love couscous? It is a staple food in many North African countries and in some Middle Eastern countries.

Many people use it as a side with meat or vegetables and some use it as a base for stew.

You have probably noticed there are different types including a pearl couscous which is slightly larger, and that is the one I like to use in salads

While those are good options, my favorite way to use couscous is in salads.  

It works really well because it doesn’t overpower the rest of your salad ingredients and just blends in to create texture.  

I recently found aWhole Wheat Pearl Couscous that Bob Red Mill makes but any type of couscous pearl couscous will work just fine. I like the whole wheat version because it is a little bit healthier.

Kale Couscous Pomegranate Salad mixes sweet pomegranate arils {or seeds} with soft, freshly massaged kale, fresh mint and parsley, silvered almonds and olive oil and lemon juice.

This salad is simple to make but is beautiful, fresh and light.

If you are having a brunch or party this could be a nice salad to add to the menu.

I like to make a batch on Sunday and eat it for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Lets talk about that kale for a minute. I love kale.

I know a lot of people don’t feel the same way but I have slowly grown to really love it.

I will often rotate between this Kale Caesar Salad, Kale Cucumber Tabbouleh, Tropical Kale Quinoa Salad, or this Avocado Kale Spinach Salad.

I use it a lot in soups, pastas and salads. Sometimes I will eat kale in salads that hasn’t been massaged but a lot of time I like to massage kale that is going in my salads to help create a softer texture and bring the flavor out.

Speaking of massaging kale, a friend of mine could not figure out why people say “massaged kale.”

But it really is that simple. You are using your hands to massage olive oil or whatever dressing or oil you want into the kale.

By doing this for 3 to 4 minutes you are helping to break down the kale and create a softer texture and bring out the flavor.

 I promise that is works and makes kale manageable for those that can’t handle the tough texture.

If you want to give it a try start with this Simple Massaged Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing.

WAYS TO MODIFY THIS QUINOA SALAD 

NUTS AND SEEDS: I used sliced almonds in this salad but I also love using pine nuts, pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds.

CHEESE: This salad does not use cheese but I think it would be a great addition. Try goat cheese, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese.

FRESH FRUIT: The sweet apples are great in this quinoa salad but other fruit works nicely too. I also enjoy sliced pear, oranges or pomegranate seeds.

VEGETABLES: Fresh vegetables are a nice addition to this salad. You could add carrots, radish, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, mushrooms, squash or broccoli.

FRESH HERBS: I think that herbs take salads to the next level like fresh parsley, basil or mint. 

GRAINS: Quinoa works nicely in this salad but you could also use bulgur wheat, brown rice, farro or wheat berries.

BEANS: I often add beans for added protein. I think that white beans or chickpeas would work best in this salad. 

OTHER COUSCOUS RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS TUNA STUFFED PEPPERS

LEMON HERB COUSCOUS

MEDITERRANEAN COUSCOUS SALAD 

ISRAELI COUSCOUS SALAD

MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED VEGETABLE COUSCOUS SALAD

MOROCCAN TOMATO COUSCOUS CHICKEN SOUP

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