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Cranberry Lentil Salad

January 19, 2010

I'm reading more and more lately about the importance of a vegetarian diet for our bodies and the planet. I know that the healthier we eat the better our bodies run, which is especially true when it comes to children. I get a lot of emails from people with misconceptions about vegetarian diets. Chief among them are concerns about vegetarians not getting enough protein. To the contrary, by incorporating legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas, soy, and peanuts) into their diets and combining them with grains, vegetarians get all the protein they need.

We've been trying to eat a lot more legumes in our house lately and lentils are at the top of the list. Not only are they inexpensive and fast to prepare, they're an incredible source of protein, dietary fiber and amino acids. They're also inexpensive, which is a bonus when you're trying to stretch your food budget.

The combination of the sweet of the fruit and the crunch of the nuts with the soft texture of the lentils makes a nutritious dish that my family flipped for -- and no one asked where the meat was!

Cranberry Lentil Salad  (Makes 6 Servings)

  • Cook Time: 25 minutes,
  • Total Time: 25 minutes,

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lentils
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • juice of 1 small lemon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

  1. 1. In a saucepan bring 4 cups of water and lentils to a boil.
  2. 2. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
  3. 3. Pour lentils into a strainer and rinse with cold water.
  4. 4. Fold all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
  5. 5. Serve.

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Comments






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  3. Katelyn

    November 28, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    I made this recipe as a side-dish for Thanksgiving. My sister and I are both vegetarian and I was looking to add something to our holiday meal that had some protein without lots of starch and fats and this was perfect! It was even very well received by the “meat-eaters” at the table. (In my mom’s words)

  4. Rebeca @ The Average Parent

    April 4, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    this does look really yummy. I was wondering if there was another “crunchy” substitution you would suggest for the walnuts. My son is allergic to peanuts and almonds so we’re a nut free house. But I’m thinking this recipe would really benefit from something crunchy. Any ideas?

    • catherine

      April 6, 2011 at 6:20 pm

      You can put toasted pepitas :) (pumpkin seeds)

  5. Leslie

    October 3, 2010 at 11:26 am

    We added curry seasoning to ours and everyone inhaled it! Thanks!

  6. Sonia

    May 29, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    I just made this to take to a couple of cookouts this weekend. I made a double batch. It is SO amazingly good I wanted to sit down with the big bowl and a spoon and eat it all myself!

  7. Urs

    January 26, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    Yummy! I used fresh Mint instead of Parsley, and it was good.

  8. Jessica

    January 19, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    This looks so good! I discovered your site recently and it’s my new favorite blog! I’ve been trying out all kinds of recipes on my 9 month old. Hands down, the Avacado Shake is his favorite. He is really only interested in sweet things at this point, but I am trying to expand his tastes. One of your other recipes for lentils caught my eye…the Red Lentil Puree. After the savory flavors were met with some really interesting faces, I made a new pot of red lentils and this time mixed it with your Roasted Pears and Bananas. Yum! He just finished a bowl of this for lunch and ate it up. Thanks so much for the great blog and recipes!