Vegetarian Day

I try hard to mix up what I eat. One way that I do this, and ensure I eat in a more sustainable and healthy manner, is to designate one or more days a week that I go vegetarian.

I’m on track with breakfast and lunch, now it’s dinnertime. I want something warm and delicious, so I’m making a warm lentil salad and steaming an artichoke to go with it. Yum.

Warm Lentil Salad

1 cup dried lentils
1 tsp olive oil
1 small Cucumber – peeled and diced
1 small Bell Pepper - diced
Handful of good quality pitted olives - diced
Garlic – minced or grated with microplane
1 small Red Onion - diced
1 small lemon – zest and juice
Handful of salad greens (just spinach or just arugula would be extra delicious)
Salt and pepper
Hot sauce – to taste

Dressing
Prepared Shallot, honey and balsamic vinaigrette - as much as you like. I used about 4 Tbs for the whole salad.
1 Tbs Dijon mustard

Serves: 2 people with leftovers.
Time: 20-30 minutes depending on how long you cook the lentils.
 
Step 1: Prepare 1 cup of lentils (I like mine al dente). Follow package directions to prepare. Generally, the formula is to simmer 1 cup lentils to 1 ½ cup liquid. I go a little shy on the liquid and add more as I go. This takes about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Chop the cucumber, bell pepper and olives. Place in a large bowl.

Step 3: Dice the onion.

Step 4: Sauté the onion in olive oil. Add the garlic, lemon zest, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Step 5: Cook until everything is fragrant.

Step 6: Cut your zested lemon and pour the juice over your veggies in the large bowl. Combine your sautéed mixture with the veggies you prepped. Toss in the warm lentils (drain them if you need to, I did).

Step 7: Add Dijon mustard to the salad dressing, combine (I shake mine in the jar it’s stored in) and drizzle over the salad. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Serve with salad greens, and enjoy.

Serving suggestions: This is amazingly delicious served cold the next day. For an easy lunch have it as a side with a baked potato.

This is lecker. I hope your warm lentil salad is lecker too.