Beluga Lentil, Tomato, & Asparagus Salad

When I was shopping at the local health food store the other day, I noticed a package of black beluga lentils and was quite intrigued. I am not a huge fan of lentils, but I just thought they were so cute and would look pretty when plated with some colorful veggies. They are easy to prepare, have a mild flavor and are packed with vitamin B and protein. For the dressing, I used Shiri Zimmerman’s tomato salad dressing recipe with some minor changes (she’s my sister-in-law and fellow lentil lover). The salad turned out to be a huge hit when we served it at her home in Deal, NJ, and is something  that will definitely make multiple appearances over the spring and summer.

Tomato Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic pressed
• 1 tsp coconut palm sugar (lower glycemic index then white refined sugar- basically it doesn’t cause the sugar highs and lows that refined sugar is guilty of doing. It provides a slower release of energy. Measure it just like sugar 1:1 ratio.)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 pint yellow and red grape tomatoes halved

Instructions

• In a small jar whisk all ingredients together (except tomatoes).
• Place tomatoes in dressing and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad- this allows it to absorb all the delicious flavors of the dressing.

Asparagus Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch Asparagus rinsed
• 3 Cups Water
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Asparagus Instructions:

• Place water and salt in a pot and bring to boil
• Trim off the tough end of the asparagus (Tip: Take 1 asparagus stalk and snap off the tough end where it naturally breaks.  Place all asparagus together and use the broken asparagus as a guide for where to cut the rest). Discard the tough white end.
• Place Asparagus in boiling water and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until tender.
• Once tender remove immediately plunge into bowl of ice water

Black Beluga Lentils Ingredients & Recipe:

I just followed the package instructions for this…

• Sort and rinse 1 cup lentils. Place in pot. Add 3 cups water. Bring to boil and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

Garnish with Parsley (as always I need my fresh herb fix) and plate to your liking.  The first time I served this I placed the beluga lentils on a plate. Topped neatly with asparagus and then with tomatoes soaked in dressing.  I then drizzled the remainder of the dressing over the dish (as pictured below).  The second time I made this dish I cut the asparagus into about 1 inch pieces and mixed all ingredients in a bowl and served as a salad for lunch at Shiri’s house (as pictured above). It was a big hit!

Health points: Beluga lentils are packed with fiber and protein. Asparagus is loaded with folate, vitamins A,C,E,K, and antioxidants.

xoxo almost caviar lovers