Green Lentil Salad
If you're looking for an inexpensive protein source with tons of variations, lentils are a go-to. They're only $2.50 a pound in the bins at my local heath foods store and they're nutrient dense. Lentils are a great vegetarian source of iron. In fact, lentils have 6.6 mg for a 1 cup serving. They're also a good source of fiber, folate, and magnesium. Legumes have a huge impact on the reduction of heart disease. In fact, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as lentils, helps prevent heart disease. According to WHFoods, the study found that people eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12 percent less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11 percent less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily.
This salad is a great way to add some legumes to your diet and it's tasty. The color variation is also gorgeous. I used fresh local corn, parsley, and onion as well. Make sure not to overcook the lentils or they will be mushy in your salad and not hold up to the dressing.
INGREDIENTS
| 3/4 cup | dried green lentils, rinsed |
| 2 cups | water |
| 4 tbsp | olive oil |
| 1/4 | onion, chopped |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced |
| 1/2 cup | cooked corn, taken off the cob |
| 5 sun | dried tomatoes , chopped |
| 2 tbsp | balsamic vinegar |
| 1/4 cup | chopped flat leaf parsley |
| Sea salt and pepper to taste | |
PREPARATION:
- Bring two cups of water up to a boil and add lentils.
- Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain lentils.
- At the same time boil 2 ears of corn for seven minutes. Drain and let cool.
- Saute onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for two minutes. Add cooked lentils, corn, and sun dried tomatoes
- Take off the heat and add vinegar, remaining olive oil, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve
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