Put some spark in mealtime with this salad that offers up a riot of earthy, peppery, creamy, sweet, and salty flavours—all enveloped in a savoury-sweet carrot dressing. With each passing forkful, you may find yourself forgetting that it also has off-the-chart nutrients.
Tip
For the purposes of salads, you want to use lentils that hold their shape once cooked. Black (beluga) and French (Le Puy) green lentils fit the bill.
Nutrition boost
A large JAMA Internal Medicine study found that people who consumed plant proteins such as lentils and quinoa more often experienced lower rates of early death, particularly from heart disease. Plant proteins come with an arsenal of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants that give them serious health-hiking powers.
Beet Lentil Quinoa Salad with Carrot Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets, ends trimmed
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) black (beluga) lentils or French green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) quinoa, preferably rainbow coloured
- 4 cups (1 L) arugula or dandelion greens
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced mint or dill
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) crumbled feta
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cherries
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) white or yellow miso
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated or finely chopped ginger
- 1 tsp (5 mL) toasted sesame oil (optional)
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories462
- protein22g
- fat17g
- saturated fat5g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates57g
- sugars8g
- fibre13g
- sodium663mg
Directions
01
Heat oven to 400 F (200 C).
02
In cake or casserole pan, place beets and add enough water so that it covers the bottom 1 in (2.5 cm) of beets. Cover pan with parchment paper, place in oven, and bake for 35 minutes, or until beets are fork-tender. When cool enough to handle, rub beet skins off with paper towel. Slice beets into 1 in (2.5 cm) wedges.
03
In medium saucepan, place lentils, bay leaf, a couple pinches of salt, and 2 cups (500 mL) water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender but still have some bite, about 25 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.
04
In separate saucepan, place quinoa, a couple pinches of salt, and 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and liquid has absorbed, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
05
To make dressing, place steamer basket in pot with 1 in (2.5 cm) water. Place carrot in basket, cover, and steam until carrot is fork-tender. In blender container, place carrot, 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of the carrot steaming water, olive oil, vinegar, miso, ginger, and sesame oil, if using, and blend until as smooth as possible. Add more water if needed to help with blending.
06
To serve, divide arugula or dandelion greens among serving plates and top with lentils, quinoa, beets, avocado, mint or dill, feta, pumpkin seeds, and dried cherries. Drizzle on carrot dressing.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
