Well-built Taste of Italy Lentil Fresh Greens Lemony-Dijon Salad.
By Jackie DeKnock Body, GOURMET WELLNESS Be Strong
June 18, 2020
This delicious, nutritious combination of lentils perched atop a lightly dressed bed of greens makes a tasty vegetarian main-course salad. And don't forget that lentils are also said to contribute to healthy bones! The lemony vinaigrette is especially yummy!
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
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30 mins
20 mins
50 mins
- Yields: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette:
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
¼ cup Dijon mustard (I love the crunch of whole grain Dijon)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Salad:
1 cup orange, French green lentils or brown lentils, rinsed
3 cups spinach or mixed salad greens, coarsely chopped
½ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
Method
To prepare lemon vinaigrette:
Combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender, a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a medium bowl. Blend, shake or whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To prepare salad:
Combine 2½ cups water and well-rinsed lentils in another saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes 15 Minutes (orange and green lentils will be cooked sooner than brown lentils.) Be careful not to overcook the lentils or they will fall apart in the salad. Drain any excess water and let cool for about 10 minutes 10 Minutes.
Toss spinach and kale with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl, then divide among 4 large plates. In the same bowl, toss the lentils with ¼ cup vinaigrette; place over the greens.
Top each salad with cilantro, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado and feta and drizzle each with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining vinaigrette for up to 1 week.)
{GF/DF/V}