Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cool water to remove any dust or dirt. Place it in a small saucepan with filtered water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Cover with a fitted lid, reduce heat to low and simmer for exactly 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for another 5 minutes before removing lid to prevent sticking. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add red onion and a pinch of sea salt and sauté for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the chopped kale, another Tablespoons of olive oil and another pinch of sea salt and sauté for 2 - 3 minutes more.
Place the sautéed kale into a large bowl. Add the shredded carrots, Persian cucumbers, sunflower seeds and mix to combine. Stir in cooked quinoa.
Place all of the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. If the dressing is too thick, add filtered water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Taste for seasoning.
To serve place 2 cups of kale and quinoa salad onto a plate and drizzle with dressing.
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 - 5 days. Leftover salad dressing can be stored in a jar with a fitted lid in the fridge for up to one week.
*I like to shred the kale in a food processor by roughly chopping kale, placing in a food processor and pulsing several times until very small pieces are formed. If you don't have a food processor, chop into small pieces using your knife.
**I prefer Persian cucumbers because they tend to be less watery and have less seeds.