As winter approaches and the need to stay healthy and hydrated increases, here's a French inspired lentil salad that can take a centre stage at your dinner table.
Ingredients:
250g green masur daal or puy lentils
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp celery stalk, chopped
250g Kohlrabi, peeled and diced into bite sized squares
½ cup chopped spring onions
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tbsp mustard
Half cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of thyme and basil
¼ cup diced garlic
½ cup roasted walnuts
250g lettuce, chopped
Method:
Put the puy lentil to boil for 20 minutes then add the carrots, celery, kohlrabi and boil till the vegetables have softened but are not breaking off. Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until they are golden and add these to the lentils and boil together for 10 minutes. Add the thyme and basil towards the end. In a bowl take dijon mustard and lemon juice with chopped tomatoes, lettuce, nuts and spring onions and add the boiled lentils and vegetable and mix it all up. Serve it for dinner and watch your family and friends ignore the main items as they lap up this salad bursting with flavours.
Health benefits:
This winter, add Puy lentils to your regular intake of vitamins and watch your skin glow and your hair shine, as this vitamin and protein rich lentil lends its taste to any salad giving it that extra flavour!