Winter Lentil Salad with Beets and Artichoke

A good lentil salad (as well as a good lentil soup) should be in every vegans recipe arsenal if you ask me. This one is a yummy combo for winter. With few components this salad is not just tasty but easy to make as well, especially if you use prepared lentils and beets or pre-cooked from the store.

I like to meal prep lentils now and again to make meals like this. It doesn’t take much effort and they always taste better than canned. If you are pressed for time though pre-cooked lentils from the store will still do the job of course. The fact that we dress them up in this recipe will make any lentil sing!

If you are looking to cook your own beets then this is my method: Remove leaves if you buy them with leaves, cutting quite close to the beet itself. Place in a pot and cover with water by about an inch. Bring the water to a boil and then turn it down to a soft boil. Boil until the beetroot is tender, this might take up to 75 minutes in some cases but keep an eye on them. Once tender drain the water and transfer the beets to a plate. Allow them to mostly cool, or at least enough so that you can handle them. Then simply press your fingers against the peel and it should slide right off. Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy in this lentil salad for example.

Malin x

Winter Lentil Salad

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked beluga or brown lentils*

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp oil from marinated artichokes

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Salt and black pepper, to taste

4 medium sized cooked beetroots

1 jar marinated artichokes, oil drained

200 g mixed baby greens/leaves

0,25 cup mixed seeds. toasted

Tahini dressing:

4 tbsp tahini

0,5 lemon, juice only

1 tsp maple syrup

1 small garlic clove, minced

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Water, to thin

METHOD:

Combine the cooked lentils, shallot, oil from the artichokes and red wine vinegar in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and black pepper and toss well to coat the lentils.

Cut the cooked beets into bite sized chunks and cut the artichokes into smaller pieces if they are whole or larger chunks.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a smaller bowl or jar and mix well to combine. Add small amounts of water at a time until you reach your preferred consistency. Season to taste.

I like to serve in individual bowls and to do that I start with the mixed greens at the bottom and layer the other ingredients on top. Finish with the dressing and some toasted seeds.

*Cook in vegetable broth or water and stock powder/cube and add a bay leaf for more flavour if cooking your own from dry.