Healthy Lentil Salad Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils ((or green, or French green lentils))
• 50 grams (1/2 small) red onion (minced)
• 1 bay leaf
• 170 grams (6 ounce) mushrooms (oyster or brown mushrooms) (diced 1 cm 1/4 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 100 grams (3.5 ounce) long sweet red pepper (sliced in half and seeded)
• 50 grams (2 cups) small, tender fresh spinach leaves (chunky chopped (or whole baby spinach leaves))
• 140 grams (5 ounce) English cucumber (peeled and diced 1 cm 1/4 inch thick)
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 30 grams (1 ounce) pitted Kalamata olives (chopped)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare The Lentils: ---

2. 2

   Cook the lentils. Add them to a small cooking pot along with 3 cups of water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then drop heat to low cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes. Or until lentils are tender but not mushy.

3. 3

   Drain and rinse the lentils in a strainer. Discard the bay leaf.

4. 4

   --- Prepare The Salad: ---

5. 5

   Cook the mushrooms. Heat a non-stick pan over high heat until it's smokey hot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and immediately (but carefully) toss in the mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes shaking the pan and flipping the mushrooms often until they are well browned and almost dry and crisp.

6. 6

   Cool the mushrooms on a plate.

7. 7

   Roast the pepper. In the same pan add the red pepper. Roast for 2-3 minutes. Then add it to a cutting board and let it cool. When it's cool enough to handle dice it the same size as that of the mushrooms.

8. 8

   --- Prepare The Dressing: ---

9. 9

   Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl and whisk well.

10. 10

    --- Mix The Salad: ---

11. 11

    In a large mixing bowl combine the lentils, red pepper, mushrooms, cucumber, spinach, olives, dill, and the dressing. Stir well with a spoon and serve. Or leave the salad for 1-2 hours in the fridge for a stronger flavor. Enjoy!