Recipes

Rice and lentil salad

An easy, cool, healthy but mainly very nutritious salad for every occasion! It originates in the eastern Mediterranean countries and goes very well with a lot of Greek or other Mediterranean dishes. It can accompany grilled meats or roasts, fish or seafood, replacing potatoes or other starchy side dishes. You can even eat it as a main course if your follow a very strict nutrition regime, as it is full of wholesome nutrients and contains all nutrition groups. Best eaten cold, but you won’t be disappointed trying it warm as well. Great solution for the dinner party or buffet table, due to its many variations.

Ingredients
For 8 people as a side dish or 4-6 as a main course

1 cup rice (long grain, parboiled, or brown rice)
1 cup brown lentils
2 large tomatoes
1 onion (medium seize) finely chopped
1 green pepper
1 red hot chilli pepper (optional)
1 small bunch of dill, finely chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 juicy lemons
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 spring onions cut in rings (optional)

Method

  1. Wash the rice in a colander under the tap, to get rid of the excess starch (this will make it less sticky), and boil it according to the packet instructions. Make sure that it is not sticky. Let it cool.
  2. Clean the lentils, and boils them in plenty of water, without salt. Depending on the lentils, this may take 40′ or 50′ minutes, sometimes longer. Keep checking them to make sure that they are soft, but not too soft. They should hold their shape and not get mushy. What we are after is al dente lentils. Drain them in a colander and wash them under the tap. Let them cool
  3. Wash and deseed the tomatoes. Chop them in 1cm cubes
  4. Cut the pepper (and chilli pepper if you use it) in cubes too
  5. Place the cold rice and lentils, tomatoes, peppers, chopped onion and dill in a large enough bowl
  6. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and as much salt and pepper suits your taste. Stir well and garnish with the spring onions
  7. That was it!

You can keep it in the fridge, as it can be enjoyed the next day (and longer…)

Variations

  • You can replace the tomatoes with cherry tomatoes, cutting them in half
  • You can add a small cucumber chopped in cubes, after you have removed its seeds
  • You can also replace the lentils with another pulse such as chick peas or beans, boiling them al dente
  • Let you imagination free, and add more vegetables. Let your personal taste be your council.
  • One recipe, countless combinations. You and your guests will never get tired of it!

Nutritional tips

  • Using brown rice, transforms this salad to a nutritional powerhouse! Contains proteins, complex carbohydrates, soluble and insoluble fibre, vitamins, trace elements, the lot!
  • If you are an athletic type, this recipe or one of its variations should always be in your fridge. It will give you energy, strength and food for your muscles before or after your workout.