Warm Lentil Vegetable Salad with Feta, Dried Currants & Dill
This warm and comforting salad is a nutritionist's dream. Packed with a whopping dose of fiber, folate, iron, and zinc, it'll stop a winter cold in its tracks!
Ingredients
| 3 | cups water |
| 1 | cup brown lentils, picked over (to remove pebbles) |
| 2 | large carrots, peeled and sliced into coins |
| 2 | large parsnips, peeled and sliced into coins |
| 1/2 | cup minced red onion, divided |
| 1/2 | cup dried currants |
| 2 | large beets, peeled and diced |
| 1 | cup rice wine vinegar |
| 1/3 | cup fresh dill, chopped |
| 3 | tbsp sugar |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced |
| 2 | tsp olive oil |
| 12 | cups cleaned mesclun lettuce |
| 4 | ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup) |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
Directions
Combine the water, lentils, carrots, parsnips, and 1/4 cup of onion in a large saucepan. Bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover; simmer for 15 minutes, or until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Drain; transfer to salad bowl. Toss with remaining onion and currants.
Steam the beets for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Combine vinegar, dill, sugar, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the oil. Pour 2/3 of dressing over the lentil mixture and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mesclun among 6 large plates. Drizzle with an equal portion of the remaining dressing. Top with an equal portion of the warm lentil mixture, beets, and feta cheese.
Nutrition Notes: Carrots and mesclun lettuce supply lots of vitamin A, while the feta, mesclun, lentils, and parsnips add a healthy dose of bone-building calcium.
