Share with a crowd.
This week I’m sharing my favorite lentil salad recipe.
This is a great salad to prepare in advance of a party, potluck or BBQ that will serve a crowd and satiate even the strongest of appetites. I can’t believe I haven’t already shared it with you. It’s a winner around these parts and can be used as a base for other meals, a side dish for a gathering or holds it’s own as the headliner.
Salad Ingredients
3 cups green lentils
3 carrots shredded
3 handfuls of greens (chard, kale, spinach – whatever you got)
½ red onion
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds (or raw if you prefer)
I cup dried currants
Dressing Ingredients
1 c olive oil
1 T dijon mustard
¼ c nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp maple syrup
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp black pepper
Optional Add-Ins or Substitutes:
Walnuts, pecans, goat cheese, parmesan, fresh sprouts, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries.
Directions:
- Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. You want them to be a little al dente and not overcooked.
- While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a blender. Eliminate the garlic and nutritional yeast and put everything in a jar and shake.
- Finely dice red onion, shred the carrot, chop the greens, toast the seeds in a hot skillet.
- When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled slightly but still a little warm, place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add remaining ingredients. If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving. Otherwise, this salad can hang out in the fridge for a couple days.
Friends keep asking me when I’m going to write a cookbook, so I suppose I’ll start with sharing recipes here and go from there. Keep this bookmarked as BBQ and picnic weather is on the horizon. It’s inexpensive, easy to prepare and oh so good. Enjoy!
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Rachel Peters is a yoga teacher, yoga health coach, lifestyle and habits expert, easeful living advocate, and lover of wild places. She leads others towards Embodying Ease through a yearlong wellness & lifestyle journey to dissolve perfectionism, embody daily habits that promote mental clarity, overall ease, and deeper connection to life on this wild ride of modern living. Learn MORE today!