Once the hot weather is with us, we begin to crave lighter fare and ice cold thirst quenching drinks to go with. I for one begin to get experimental with healthy salads. Sometimes they don't even include lettuce. I love salads such as cherry tomato salad with feta cheese and fresh basil, carrot salad with pineapple and golden raisins and healthy cole slaws too (and some unhealthy ones...such as my Blue Cheese Cole Slaw post earlier this year)
Today I share with you a very healthy recipe I created from a salad I ate often, many years ago in Los Angeles at a food chain called Koo Ka Roo Chicken...I think they still exist? I loved their chilled lentil and cucumber salad. I have changed it a great deal but lentils and cuke's are still the main ingredients. This dish pairs well with so many things; you could grab a rotisserie chicken at your local market, you could serve it with a fresh crusty loaf of rustic bread and butter and fine wine, you could serve it with humus, greek olives and pita bread...the list is endless, once you try this salad you can decide what you want to serve it next to...
Zesty Lentil Cuke Salad
3 large cucumbers - peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 roma tomatoes - cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 green onions - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic rough chopped
2 cloves garlic - put thru a garlic press
1 cup green lentils
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 small onion - finely chopped
2 tsp sumac powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh flat leafed italian parsley - finely chopped
1 tbsp dried crumbled mint
1 tbsp cumin powder
3 fresh limes
1 large lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Place the Lentils into a pot of water (water should be twice as high as lentils)
Add the bay leaves, the chopped garlic cloves and the small chopped onion
to the water - I add some MSG free chicken stock paste..about 1 heaping tablespoon
Cook the lentils over high heat just till boiling point is reached, then lower heat to medium low for 45 minutes uncovered. Check for doneness...lentils should have a slight firmness to them...(you don't want them to get mushy)
Strain lentils in a mesh strainer, discard the bay leaves but do not rinse
Allow the lentils to cool to room temperature
In a large bowl add the chopped cucumber, tomato and green onion
Using a garlic press, press the two remaining cloves of garlic into the bowl
Add the dried mint and the chopped parsley and mix well
Place into refrigerator to chill till the lentils cool
The Dressing
Juice the lemon and the limes into a pouring cup
add two tsp of sumac powder
2 tsp of Ume Plum Vinegar
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
With a wire whisk, mix the above together while drizzling the 1/4 cup olive
into the cup.
Once emulsified, add to salad mixture and mix well.
Refrigerate for several hours, making sure to remix the mixture a few more times...the dressing quickly settles on the bottom of the bowl
Zesty Zesty healthy salad eatins to you!
robert
