Herbed Quinoa Lentil Salad
1/2 cup dry Flourist Laird Lentils, soaked for 4-12 hours
1 cup dry Flourist Golden Quinoa
1 cup water (minus a tablespoon)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp good quality salt, more as needed
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup feta cheese (heaping), cubed fine
1/2 cup toasted pistachios, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, or almonds
1/2 cup parsley or basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
Maldon or other flaky sea salt, for finishing
Optional: 2 cups arugula leaves
To cook the soaked lentils, first drain and rinse them well with cold water. Put up in a steamer with plenty of water and steam for 30 minutes, or until tender. It is a good idea to turn the heat off after 30 minutes and let the lentils continue to steam in the pot with the lid on for a further few minutes if time allows*. Set the lentils aside to cool until the other ingredients are ready.
*You can prepare lentils this way and keep them in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week - just toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil (to moisten) and season with salt to taste. Use to add protein to green salads, or to toss in your favourite grain salads or vegetable bowls.
In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa, 1 cup water - substitute 1 tbsp of the water with 1 tbsp of Apple cider Vinegar - to a boil with the lid on. Turn the heat to low once boiling, and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and the liquid evaporates, exactly 20 minutes. Turn off the heat once finished and allow quinoa to sit a further 10 minutes in the covered pot (this will ensure all of the liquid gets absorbed and the grains are separated and fluffy).
In a salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and the salt. Add cooked + cooled quinoa, the cooked lentils, feta and choice of nuts and mix well. This salad base will keep for up to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator (bring to room temperature before serving). Just before serving, fold in herbs, tomatoes, arugula (if using) and flaky salt to taste.
You can use any nuts you like in this recipe: almonds, hazelnuts, or pumpkin seeds are all suitable. You can also use shaved Parmesan cheese instead of feta.
