Another perfect recipe for taking to a cookout this Memorial Day weekend!  

I wish I could take credit for coming up with this recipe, but the truth is, I just recreated it with my twists.  I was at a fun Mom’s Night Out last week at The Village Herb Shop, where we learned different techniques for cooking with herbs.  For the event, everyone was asked to bring a dish and Annmarie brought this fabulous lentil salad that no one could get enough of, myself included.  It was such a fun and different mix of flavors that I couldn’t wait a week to recreate it. 

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Best Lentil Salad with Craisins + Carrots

(slightly adapted from mynewroots.com)

Ingredients:

  • 2 ¼ c.(1 lb.) lentils – brown or Du Puy
  • 1/2 medium red onion, diced
  • 1 c. dried Craisins (you could also use raisins or other dried fruit)
  • 1/2 c. capers
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded carrots, diced

Dressing: 

  • 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. dijion mustard
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. pepper
  • 1.5 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1.5 tsp. garam masala

Add-in Ideas:

  • Arugula
  • Walnuts
  • Goat cheese
  • Feta
  • Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil
  • Sprouts
  • Crispy seasonal veggies – cucumber, zucchini, asparagus

Directions:

  1.  Rinse lentils well, drain.
  2. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. Don’t let them cook longer than al dente.  
  3. While the lentils are cooking, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
  4. Dice red onion, carrots, Craisins, and capers.  I love this tip from (MyNewRoots.com) – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. 
  5. Once the lentils are done, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop them from cooking more.
  6. Place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. 
  7. Add in onion, capers, carrots and craisins.  If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving. 
  8. Salad will save for a few days in the fridge.

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Enjoy!