we've been eating a lot of salads lately. our daily dose of greens is usually the nutritional area my family and i are lacking in. we are generally healthy eaters, or at least conscientious about what we choose to put in our bodies, but for some reason, our veggie intake is always less than it should be. recently, i have taken a few measures to try and mend this deficiency.
i throw two large handfuls of raw kale into my daily blueberry and yogurt lunchtime smoothie. dinah and charlie drink about half of it, so there's a good punch of greens for them midday as well. and i've been sending raw veggies with dickie to snack on while he's at work.
i've also started preparing a large chop salad every few days that i keep on hand in the fridge. it's filled with kale, spinach, romaine lettuces, sprouts, onions, carrots, cucumber, celery, and broccoli. having it prepared and ready to go makes it easy to munch on throughout the day and it's always ready for me to serve on the side of whatever meal we're having that night for dinner.
along with changing up our day-time eating habits, i've been experimenting with vegetable-loaded dinners lately, and i've found this lentil salad to be the most satisfying and delicious one so far.
the arugula is the perfect base, because not only is it pretty to look at, but it's also flavorful and spicy, and very rich in antioxidants and so many different vitamins. the lentils give it a ton of fiber and protein, so you end the meal feeling full and satisfied. the sweet potato, oil, and spices pack it full of warm and comforting flavor. the roasted garlic bits provide bursts of flavor and crunch to each bite and the poignant crumbled goat cheese throughout gives it a pleasant creamy quality as well. seriously, one of the tastiest salads i've ever had.
originally, i was inspired by smitten kitchen's spicy lentil and butternut squash salad, but i've made so many changes to it at this point, that i'll just claim it as my own recipe.
first step: soak your lentils. they say soaking maximizes the nutrients found in lentils. and lentils, like all beans, naturally contain phytic acid, an anti-nutrient, which interferes with the absorption of minerals, like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. so, soaking them helps our bodies absorb all the good stuff and aids in digestion, so it's easier on our tummies too. although this is an ancient practice, i've also heard on more than one occasion that it is a myth, so who knows if it's really beneficial or not. but either way, soaking doesn't cause harm and it reduces cook time, so why not? anyway, once sufficiently soaked, drain the lentils and rinse them and cook as you normally would.
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| soaking lentils |
other than soaking the lentils, the rest of the meal is pretty quick and straightforward. also, just a note, i didn't have any arugula on hand when i made this yesterday, but I did have baby kale, so that's what i used. arugula is much better, and what i prefer to use, but baby kale works too.
warm lentil salad
1 c dry lentils (i used green)
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 sausage links, cooked and sliced ahead of time (optional, oh and hot italian pork sausage is my favorite)
12 oz arugula
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
5 TBS olive oil, separated
salt and pepper
lentils:
soak, pour 1 cup of dried lentils into a pot, cover with about an inch of salted water. bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 30-45 minutes or until they are soft. drain excess water and set aside to cool to room temperature.
sweet potatoes:
preheat oven to 425 degrees. peel and cut potatoes into bite sized pieces. arrange on a baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. bake for 25-30 minutes or until soft. about half way through bake time, stir the potatoes and add the thinly sliced garlic, and return to the oven. remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
dressing:
combine cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. then add 3-4 TBS of olive oil. shake in a jar to mix well.
serve:
place arugula in a large serving bowl. top with lentils, sweet potatoes, optional sausage, and 3/4 of the crumbled goat cheese. drizzle with dressing, then toss to mix and coat. serve with a bit of crumbled goat cheese on top. should be served somewhere between warm and room temperature.
