This simple but delicious recipe, which provides a good amount of protein from the lentils, can be a meal in itself. You can use either homemade roasted beets (start with ¾ pound uncooked beets), packaged beets, or canned beets.
- 3 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups lentils
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1½ cups diced cooked beets
- 6 cups mixed greens or watercress
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese (2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, garlic, lemon zest, tarragon, and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until firm-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain off any liquid remaining.
- In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, oil, and mustard. Add the lentils, bell pepper, and beets, tossing until well coated.
- Mound the lentil salad on a bed of the greens and sprinkle with the cheese and pecans.
Makes 4 servings; per serving: 405 calories, 12g total fat (3g saturated), 7mg cholesterol, 26g dietary fiber, 54g carbohydrate, 26g protein, 465mg sodium.
A Different Spin
Spinach and Lentil Salad. Follow the directions for Lentil, Goat Cheese, and Beet Salad, but substitute ½ teaspoon of thyme for the tarragon. Omit the beets and add 1½ cups halved seedless red grapes. Substitute small spinach leaves for the mixed greens. Add the spinach to the bowl and toss with the warm lentils.
From The Wellness Kitchen
