This household loves lentils.

I’ve labeled them a Poor Girl’s Gourmet. Because a bag of these babies costs what, a dollar? And they go a long, long way. I like to throw them in stews, in chilis, and my most recent discovery is a nice, cold, hearty salad. They have a wonderful little bite to them, and an Earthy flavor I just can’t get enough of. And they’re filling. So I can bring one of these salads to work and eat it guilt-free, and it’s much more satisfying than a dinky spinach salad (that leaves me gnawing on my skin by the time the work day is over). Or better yet, I mounded a big hunk of this lentil salad atop a bed of spinach.

Win.

My discovery with this recipe is that cold lentils are just as good as warm ones. Nom, nom, nom.

Lentil Salad with a Dill Yogurt Dressing (Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen)
Serves 5 – 6
>> Click Here for Printable Recipe <<

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups lentils
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 carrots, finely diced (1 cup)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh dill (2 tsp dry)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives (2 tsp dry)
• 2 tbsp fresh tarragon (I used 1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley ( 2 tsp dry)

For Dill Yogurt Dressing:

• 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (Fage is my favorite)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar (I used 1 tsp each of white balsamic and red wine vinegar)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the lentils and boil for 10 minutes. Then add 2 tsp of salt to the pot and boil the lentils for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until they are softened, but firm and still hold their shape. Drain the lentils and run under cold water until they are cool to the touch.
2. Add your diced veggies and herbs to the lentils and toss to combine.
3. Whisk together the ingredients for the yogurt dill dressing. Pour over the lentil and veggie mix, and toss to combine. Let the salad stand for 10-15 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. Serve at room temp, or cold the next day. (Great for work lunches!)

My Two Cents: I would go extra heavy on the veggies in this recipe. I actually found there to be a tad too much yogurt dressing, so amping up the veggies will balance it out a little more. If you have other crunchy veggies on hand like broccoli or green beans, add them to the mix — plus they’ll add a nice little pop of color. I also think the addition of some sauteed onions and mushrooms would add a nice flavor to the dish, too. I’m an onion addict, so anything with onion flavor makes my taste buds incredibly happy.

Plus, use fresh herbs. I only had dry on hand, and the dried herbs work just fine. I use them when I’m making spur-of-the-moment dishes (like I did with this one), because keeping fresh herbs on hand is pricey (and, no, sadly I can’t grow my own — I live in a tiny basement apartment with very little natural light!). But if you’re smart and plan ahead, go buy a few bunches o’ herbs

Enjoy this really nutritious meal!