One of my favorite soups is lentil soup. However, I rarely ever eat soup in the summer because for me it is to hot for soup. I usually stick to cooler foods and salads. Since lentils are so incredibly healthy, I decided to pull out an old favorite lentil salad recipe of mine to share with you. I don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen in the summer, and unlike other beans, lentils cook quickly.
Lentils have a high level of soluble fiber which helps in slowing down digestion which then helps stabilize blood sugar levels and keeps you full longer. It also helps reduce cholesterol thereby helping reduce the risk of heart disease. The soluble fiber in lentils helps prevent constipation and digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Lentils are a good source of folate, iron and magnesium. They have the third highest level of protein of all legumes and nuts. Lentils are also low in calories and have almost to fat.
So, here is my recipe for lentil salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked lentils (1-1/2 cups of dried lentils)
- 1 can of tuna
- 3 green onions, minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 Tbsl extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Dash of red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 tsps ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lots of fresh parsley, chopped
Boil 1 &1/2 cups of dried lentils in 3 cups of boiling water or broth. Salt the water if desired. Cooking time is about 25-35 minutes or until the lentils are just tender (not crunchy, but not mushy). Chill the cooked lentils for about an hour on a baking sheet. Sometimes, I put the baking sheet of lentils in the freezer for 10-15 minutes if I am in a hurry.
When the lentils are cool, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Serve on top of lettuce or spinach. Whole grain bread also goes nice with this.
If you want more in depth information about the health benefits of lentils, click on the link below..
7 Health Benefits of Lentils – MindBodyGreen.com