I alluded to our love of lentils in last week’s introduction to Feeding the Growing Family. We’re also big fans of the big salad. Packed with whatever veggies you might have on hand along with a grain or legume, these salads become regulars on the menu as the temperatures rise.
But more than that, they are a frugal way to jazz up these sometimes ordinary ingredients. And so, a pot of cooked lentils combines with crispy vegetables, pungent spring onions, and a zippy dressing spiked with mustard to make this simple salad. Served with a slice of sourdough bread or a piece of fruit, it becomes a go-to summer lunch in our home.
And the whole meal comes to just a couple bucks with homegrown vegetables in the mix.
Simple Lentil Salad
Serves: 5
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (~1 cup) dried green lentils
- 1 large head lettuce chopped
- 4 celery stalks diced
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 bunch green onions diced
- 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon spicy mustard or Dijon
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook lentils according to package directions. Mine usually calls for 3 cups of water to 1 cup of dried lentils. If I sprout them first, I only use 1.5 cups of water and add more as necessary during cooking. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly.
- Combine all vegetables in a large serving dish. Toss well to combine.
- In a small jar or measuring cup, whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and add the olive oil while whisking with a fork.
- Add the lentils to the vegetables and drizzle the dressing over the lentil-vegetable mixture. Toss gently, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve alongside a fruit platter, sourdough bread, or this gluten-free cornbread.
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