Lentil Potluck Salad

This is one of my go-to's for potlucks and other events, never leftovers! It's a great make-ahead dish for easy weekday lunches as well. It's very filling with lots of fiber, magnesium and folate. Lentils are often easier to digest than beans as well with 18g of protein per cup (cooked). Recipe from Detoxinista.com
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Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

Salad:

  • 2 cups brown lentils
  • 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber (1 English cucumber)
  • 1 1/2 cups diced red onion (1 large)
  • 1 1/2 cups diced red pepper (1 large)
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 cup golden raisins (optional)
  • 1 cup sliced almonds (optional)
  • Arugula for serving (optional)
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • To prepare the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. The dressing will be very salty and acidic, so I don't recommend tasting it until after you've poured it over the huge amount of vegetables in this salad, which will dilute the flavor significantly. (You can adjust any seasonings to taste later.)
  • Cook the lentils. Combine the dry brown lentils with 5 cups of water and bring them to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Be sure to watch the pot and add more water, if needed, to keep the lentils covered. Drain any excess water from the lentils and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooked lentils, cucumber, onion, pepper, and celery. (Dice them into very small pieces so they are all about the same size.) Pour the dressing over the top, toss well, and adjust any seasoning to taste.
  • Store the salad in the fridge for up to a week, and if you'd like to add some extra greens to the mix, serve it over a bed of arugula or any other green you like. (Just don't mix the leafy greens into your stored salad, as they are prone to wilting once they get moist.)
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