Last week, I gave you the lowdown on how awesome lentils are for your wallet, waistline, and your busy life. If you went out and bought some lentils, good for you! For the next few weeks I’ll be posting lentil recipes so you can get the most out of those little legumes. My least favorite thing is to get excited about an ingredient, but only knowing one dish to make with it, leaving that ingredient to just sit on my shelf until the end of time.
Lentils can enhance many dishes and work great with warm or hot salads. This Beet and Lentil Kale Salad will leave you feeling full without feeling like you need to eat a giant bowl of it or like you need to add meat to make it more satisfying. Beets provide a hearty source of antioxidants and also helps with inflammation. Beets, like lentils, are folate powerhouses. Foods high in folate help prevent anemia and osteoporosis related fractures, promote better cellular production, and can combat irritability, depression, and fatigue.
To boost the flavor of the lentils, add 2-3 garlic cloves while cooking. This infusion made the lentils even more irresistible than before. Also, if you want to eat this salad warm, you can microwave your kale for about a minute to warm it up. The kale will wilt a bit, but it will still be delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 2-3 whole garlic cloves
- 1-2 beets, scrubbed and greens removed
- handfuls of kale
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ancho chili, cayenne, or chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 475. Put rinsed beets on a sheet of foil. Drizzle olive oil and salt over beets, then wrap up the beets in the foil. Depending on the size, roast for 60-75 minutes (larger the beets, longer the time).
While the beets are roasting, combine rinsed lentils, two cups of water, a pinch of salt and your garlic cloves in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 25-30 minutes. When done, add to a mixing bowl.
When beets are done, allow to cool, then peel off skins. Cube the beets then add to the bowl with the lentils. Add spices and mix to combine. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Serve over kale at room temperature or cold.