At Northwest Rafting Company, we believe that a great adventure is fueled by great food. Our guides aren’t just exceptional river guides—they’re also talented chefs! We take pride in serving fresh, healthy, and filling meals on all of our trips. One of our most popular meals is our Superfood Lunch Salad, which guests rave about.
What we love most about this salad is that it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, making it accessible to many people with dietary restrictions. If you want to give it a try at home, here it is!
NWRC Superfood Salad
Serves ~15
Salad Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups dry quinoa
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
- 2 bunches kale
- 12 oz blueberries
- 2 avocados
- 1 small bag shredded carrots
- 1 head broccoli
- ½ red onion
Dressing:
- 2 lemons
- balsamic glaze (bottle)
- olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook the Quinoa: Cook the quinoa ahead of time per the instructions on the package and chill before preparing the salad.
- Prepare the Kale: De-stem and finely chop the kale. Try the chiffonade method of chopping the kale to get nice small pieces. Massage the chopped kale with a healthy drizzle of olive oil. If you have an extra helper, you can have someone sprinkle salt over the kale while you massage.
- Chop the Vegetables: Chop the broccoli and red onion, and slice the avocado into bite-size pieces. I like to rough chop some of the broccoli into smaller pieces than you normally would so it blends into the salad.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, combine all salad ingredients.
- Dress the Salad: Squeeze the lemons over the salad while gently tossing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and serve the bottle alongside the salad for people to top their individual bowls.
Optional Additions/Substitutions
- Cheese lovers: Feel free to add your favorite cheese! Goat cheese crumbles, feta, or sharp white cheddar all complement this salad beautifully..
- Nuts or seeds: Swap the sliced almonds for any nut or seed you prefer—get creative with what you have on hand.
- Fruits: Try different berries or fruits to match the season. In spring, I love using fresh strawberries instead of blueberries for a sweet, vibrant twist.
- Acid options:Lemon juice isn’t your only choice! Lime juice, balsamic vinegar, or white balsamic all work great.
This recipe is incredibly adaptable. The quantities listed are just suggestions—adjust them to craft your perfect bowl! The salad you enjoyed by the river might have been a variation of this recipe, as our guides love to add their own creative touches.
“This trip really was something special. The people we were with, the incredible locations, and the food…all of it was beyond what I could have dreamt.”
Don’t want to cook for yourself? Come on a Rogue or Middle Fork trip, and we will make the salad for you! You can also find some of our other river recipes in our downloadable River Cookbook.
