most delish lentil salad
Welcome to those who were just scanning the web and serendipitously landed on my humble site 👋 whether you are in a rut and don’t know what to make; are in that loop of “sooo, what do you want to eat tonight?”; or have fallen into the infinite black hole of saved recipes from social media (the internet is truly ultimate purveyor of maximalist TL;DR content overwhelm 😵💫🫠🤭). I hope you enjoy — it brings me great joy to sprinkle any ease into your life — cheers to your good health, good love & good fortune!
And per my usual caveat, I do not claim to be a doctor or a chef. I do not dream of being a fancy food blogger. I’m just a gal who enjoys living and eating for optimum well-being. I like to creatively alter, and occasionally create, recipes to make them as balanced as possible, in both taste and health. I’ve come to learn soul-food and body-fueling food are both real and equally important, hence the critical importance and beauty of mind-body-soul eating! ✨ I typically like to begin with a key ingredient or two that I’m hoping to work with, search for a preexisting recipe as a guide, then play with measurements and make swaps to level up nutrient density. Consider this a destination for healthy recipe inspiration, where you’ll never have to scroll through any continuously re-populating ads. One of my primary goals is to add a little simplicity in places I’ve found murky.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS PERSONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE ADMINISTERING ANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE ON THEBALANCEDCALM.COM TO ENSURE THEY ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE.
This recipe is from Gimme Some Oven and is literally the most delish lentil salad EVER. My edit of the recipe as follows:
SALAD
1 c uncooked French lentils, rinsed
2 1/1 c low sodium veggie broth
1 organic English cucumber, diced
1 small organic red onion, diced
3/4 c organic cilantro, chopped
1 organic red bell pepper, diced
DRESSING
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper
SIDE
1 avocado
1 small handful of microgreens
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook the lentils per packaged instructions, swapping the water for veggie broth
2. While lentils are cooking, chop veggies and mix up dressing
3. Assemble salad along sides of avo and micreogreens
As with everything I make, I love to know the ingredients will fuel not only a beautiful plate, but a beautiful feeling inside. I will again caveat, I’m not a nutritionist, but as holistic health coach, here’s some functional food for thought:
LENTILS
Rich in protective plant compounds called polyphenols, lentils can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases due to their high antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. They are also cardio-protective, rich in fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium and calcium, supporting heart and bone health, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They are also a source of energizing iron and vitamin B1, which helps maintain a steady heartbeat. Plus, they’re high in protein (with essential and non-essential amino acids + touting a whopping 18 grams for 1 cup!) for all of us non-big meat eaters. Bonus, they come in a true rainbow of colors, from yellow to green to red to orange to black to brown, so you really can’t get tired of cooking with them. They’re super versatile, inexpensive and shelf-stable. How could anyone not LOVE lentils?!
MICROGREENS
While nutrient content varies based on variety, most tend to be rich in antioxidants, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium and copper. ALL are nutrient concentrated, meaning they often contain higher vitamin, mineral and antioxidant levels than the same quantity of mature greens — ie: red cabbage microgreens can have 40X the Vitamin E and 6X the Vitamin C of mature red cabbage and cilantro microgreens can have 4X the beta-carotene as mature cilantro!
PINK HIMALAYAN SALT
Since pink Himalayan salt is less processed than table salt, your body has an easier time processing it, as it doesn’t require as much water to clear out the excess sodium! It also contains more than 80 minerals and elements, including potassium, iron, calcium and (naturally occurring) iodine, aiding our body’s natural detoxification process and promoting the removal of bacteria. This can even help lower blood pressure, as iodine supports our body’s electrolyte balance, allowing our intestines to absorb more nutrients.
***important to note, quality is essential — always shop organic, whole, preferably in season, ideally know where your food is coming from and thoroughly wash those fruits + veggies!
