Do you ever go through your pantry and check all the expiration dates to see what you need to use up? Well, that’s how I happened to be making a red lentil salad. The weather was hot and I didn’t feel like soup, so salad it was. For me, there are three nice things about red lentils: first, they’re surprisingly sweet tasting; second, they cook really fast, because the hulls have been removed; and three, they’re chocked full of healthy nutrients like potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K, plus they’re particularly rich in dietary fiber, lean protein, folate and iron. That’s right, they’re a super food.
So, eat a lentil salad, feel healthy and have a great day!
Red Lentil, Carrot & Avocado Salad
Serves 2
2 cups cooked red lentils
1 large carrot, grated on large holes of box grater
1 large avocado ½-inch dice
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon Poupon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain and cool to room temperature, or refrigerate up to one day.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups cooked lentils, carrot, avocado and parsley.
3. Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients. Add desired amount to lentil salad. Adjust seasoning.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Now you’re talkin’! I got all these ingredients! Time’s a tickin’ and soon I’ll be lickin’ my chops. Beautiful!
Doesn’t that look tempting! I love lentils, and some how I always forget about them. Thanks for the reminder. And it’s about time I went through my entire pantry. Just yesterday I looked through my spices and was amazed to discover things from 2012. How did that happen, and where did the time go?