I love the idea of building in healthy routines to our daily lives. That is why I love the new trend for Meatless Mondays. It makes it easy to plan menus, plan vegetarian meals and it encourages us to try new and healthier foods. I was so inspired recently by a Lentil Salad recipe I found in a Cooking Light magazine. I usually think of lentils in stews and soups so trying them in a salad seemed fun and new to me. It also appeared appealing because it would be heartier and more filling, just right for a Fall Supper.
The basic ingredients are lentils, arugula and soft-boiled eggs. Cooking the lentils is the only thing that takes time. This can be done ahead of time depending on your schedule. Since they stay firm, they can be cooked a day ahead to be assembled as part of the salad when you are ready to prepare dinner. That makes dinner making really easy.
There was nothing complicated about the recipe. The hardest part was boiling the eggs to be firm but soft-cooked. Mine were a little runny. Next time I plan on cooking them about 30 seconds longer.
The flavors and textures were delicious. It is also a visually appealing meal (if your eggs aren’t too runny!). The calories for the salad, including the egg is 282 calories. To make it a meal I added a whole-wheat dinner roll for 110 calories. The total calorie count for the meal is 392. This allows room for a glass of wine or a healthy dessert... your pick! Our family gave the meal a “thumbs up”. It will be a definite repeat.
Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!
For a fun and delectable Lentil Soup check out this LivligaHome blog for Greek-style Lentil Soup.
