It is a gorgeous day here in Portland, the sun is shining and everyone is in a good mood, including me.
I went for a fabulous run this morning, followed by training a client and am now home and ready to share an amazing salad recipe with you. We went to a friends house on Christmas Day and they served this salad. It is SOO delicious and I had to get the recipe. Thank you Catherine and Carl for a fabulous Christmas Day Brunch!
I am obsessed with Lentils right now and can't seem to get enough of them. Lentils are LOADED with protein and fiber and a mere 1 cup serving has 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. I also love the texture of Lentils. Yay!
Cooking time: 30 minutesLentils1 cup Puy (green) lentils1 small carrot, quartered2 sprigs fresh thyme2 sprigs Italian flat-leaf parsley2 bay leaf2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed¼ tsp kosher saltDressing3 Tbsp olive oil1 Tbsp red wine vinegar3 tsp Dijon mustard½ tsp kosher salt¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper Pears2 firm-ripe Bosc pears, quartered lengthwise2 Tbsp unsalted butter2 tsp packed coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar) 3 oz Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese, coarsely crumbled1. Lentils: Rinse lentils with cold water. Tie carrot, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf in a bundle with string. Place lentils, bundle, garlic, and salt in a medium saucepan and cover with 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain, and discard bundle and garlic.2. Dressing: In a small glass measuring cup, whisk together all ingredients. While lentils are hot, toss with dressing in a large bowl.3. Pears: Core pears and cut each quarter in half, lengthwise.4. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and sprinkle with brown sugar. Sauté on both sides until golden and slightly caramelized, 5 minutes.5. Place lentils on a large platter. Arrange pears on top and sprinkle with Roquefort. Serve immediately.Oh my goodness, this salad is a winner! I love the creamy lentils, paired with the sweet roasted pears and the salty blue cheese. I am a huge fan of sweet/savory foods and this hits the mark on that front.You can also serve this warm, room temp or even cold. I have had it all three ways and LOVED them all. This salad would make a great addition to any New Year's Day Menu.Speaking of New Year's, I wanted to give you a heads up that I will be announcing my new webinar series in the next few days. I am so excited! The webinar is going to include lots of healthy recipes and help you jumpstart your health and wellness goals for 2013. I followed the program myself and it WORKS. Stay tuned.Have a great day everyone!
Good Morning and Happy Thursday!