Marinated Broccoli Lentil Salad

I was somewhat surprised to realize that this, one of the first recipes I ever created, hadn't yet made it onto the blog. Lentils and broccoli are two of the healthiest AND cheapest foods out there (see end of this post). Prepared this way, they taste delicious. This is a fast recipe which gets better as it sits. Make sure not to overcook the lentils or the broccoli. This salad needs a LOT of balsamic vinegar and black pepper to really work. The olive oil also adds flavor as well as making the salad more digestible.

Marinated Broccoli Lentil Salad

Ingredients

1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 c vegetable stock (or water)
2 c water
*
1-2 c small broccoli florets
1/4 c white onion or scallions, finely chopped
water
*
2 TB balsamic vinegar
olive oil
sea salt to taste
ample ground black pepper to taste
optional: chopped olives, garlic or garlic powder

Instructions

1. Undercook lentils in stock and water, draining if necessary.
2. Lightly cook broccoli and onions by pouring boiling water over them, covering, and draining after 2 minutes.
3. Toss lentils and vegetables together. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. allow to stand until flavors have soaked in and salad is cool.

for reference:

• 1 c stewed chicken breast has 211 calories, 41g protein, 0g fiber, and 7% daily iron

• 1 c regular cooked lentils has 230 calories, 18g protein, 16g fiber, and 37% daily iron, and probably costs about $0.10

• 1 c steamed broccoli has 54 calories, 4g protein, 6g fiber, and 6% daily iron, as well as ample vitamins A, C, K, and Bs

(data from www.nutritiondata.com)