This warm and filling salad is perfect for weeknight dinners. Add a poached egg and it really packs a protein punch that will keep you satisfied for hours.
Ingredients:
- ½ pound of assorted fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut into halves or quarters
- ½ pound of sweet potatoes or winter squash, peeled and diced into 1” cubes
- ½ pound of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 ½ cup of dried lentils (preferably green)
- 1 quart low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6-8 cups of assorted salad greens, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
- Several sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme (add additional herbs if desired)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Vinaigrette
- 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Optional:
- 4-6 eggs, poached for 3-4 minutes (just until set) and then removed from water and set aside
Instructions:
- Whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper. Slowly add the oil and continue whisking until completely emulsified. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil, and add the potatoes, sweet potatoes or squash, Brussels sprouts and red onion. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, tuck several springs of thyme and rosemary throughout, and roast for about 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute. Add dry lentils and stir well to coat. Add stock to pan to cover lentils by at least two inches – add water if necessary. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 18 minutes, just until lentils are tender. Remove from heat and drain.
Assemble salad as follows:
- Bring small pan of water to boil, then reduce to simmer (if using eggs)
- Spread warm lentils on a large serving platter
- Arrange salad greens on top
- Layer on the roasted vegetables (don’t forget to include the herbs!)
- Drizzle with vinaigrette
- If using eggs, use a slotted spot to dip each one quickly into the pot of simmering water for 20-30 seconds (just to warm through). Remove from pan and blot excess water with a paper towel, then place eggs on top of salad. Finish with a grind of black pepper and salt and serve immediately.
This article first appeared in the October 2023 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
