Rinse 1/2 cup dry quinoa under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve. Combine rinsed quinoa with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes). You'll end up with about 1 cup cooked quinoa.

While quinoa cools, remove tough stems from the kale. Stack leaves, roll and thinly slice into ribbons. Place sliced kale in a large mixing bowl.

Thinly slice the red onion and halve the tomatoes. Crumble the goat cheese into a small bowl. If using nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned (2–4 minutes). Cool.

Make Lemon Vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar, combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (or maple), minced garlic, and vinegar. Whisk or shake to combine.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity, sweetness, or salt as desired.

Assemble Salad

Add the cooled cooked quinoa to the bowl with the sliced kale.

Pour about half of the vinaigrette over the kale and quinoa. Using clean hands or salad tongs, massage and toss the kale vigorously for 1–2 minutes so the leaves soften and absorb the dressing.

Add the sliced red onion and halved tomatoes to the bowl. Toss gently to combine. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed (reserve any extra for serving).

Fold in crumbled goat cheese and toasted nuts (if using) gently so they distribute without breaking up completely.

Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let the salad rest 5–10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld (or serve immediately).