Another (Healthier) Recipe

After my previous post, I figured I needed a healthy recipe to balance out all that cream. Plus, I was getting tired of eating plain yogurt for dinner.

Inspired by a lentil salad I had at a lunch on Sunday, this is one of those "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" recipes: you can add whatever you want and flavour it to suit your tastes. I'm thinking: red cabbage, yellow squash, eggplant, olives, feta cheese, avocado, almonds, roquette, chives, cucumber, carrots... etc. etc. etc.; the sky's the limit! :) Be sure to add something pickled or salty (you'll see I've used my favourite, cornichons, here), because it gives the salad texture and variation with each bite.

French Green Lentil Salad

Green lentils

Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

Onions, finely chopped

Belgian endive, finely chopped

Zucchini, finely chopped

Artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

Cornichons (or just mini dill pickles), roughly chopped

Lemon juice

Oil and vinegar (or just a store-bought vinaigrette)

Flat-leafed parsley

S + P

1.) Cook the lentils. Drain and cool. 

2.) Meanwhile, chop the vegetables. Put them together in a bowl, and drizzle generously with the lemon juice, salt, and vinaigrette. The idea is to marinate the vegetables a bit in the dressing, so add plenty of vinaigrette, enough to cover the entire salad once it's mixed (including the lentils). 

 

3.) Put the lentils in a large bowl. Add the vegetable mixture overtop, and add more vinaigrette if needed. Mix well.

4.) Add fresh-cracked pepper and parsley. Taste for salt and add more if needed. 

Eat warm, or chilled. Can be eaten as a main or side dish. Great for taking along for lunch.