This lentil bacon salad is wealthy in protein, fiber, iron, folate and taste.
Disclosure: Final month, I oversaw a sponsored recipe contest with Toufayan Bakeries and obtained samples. I used to be not compensated for this submit – simply crushing on their pita breads!
I had been desirous to make this Heat Bacon-Dijon Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese Crostini since I noticed it in Cooking Gentle final month. After which certainly one of our expensive neighbors gifted me a bag of french lentils so I took it as an indication to make it then and there.
However I didn’t have arugula. Or goat cheese. Or a baguette for that matter. To not point out that my lentils weren’t even the pre-cooked ones that the recipe referred to as for.
However I did have romaine lettuce and leftover candy onion pita bread from our current Recipe ReDux sponsored contest with Toufayan Bakeries (in the event you love pita, you gotta take a look at all these inventive and fast recipes our bloggers got here up with—> pita recipes.)
My new fav lunch: Lentil Bacon Salad with Gorgonzola Pita @tspbasil Click on To Tweet
And even with all of the totally different swaps – it nonetheless was scrumptious and really filling (my Instagram submit):
And I preferred my edited model of the salad a lot that I made it once more later within the week – conserving all my adjustments and even including roasted carrots to the combination.
So, again to the lentils – listed below are just some the reason why I like them (and vow to prepare dinner with them extra usually):
- Lentils prepare dinner up rapidly (prepared in 20 minutes) – in comparison with different dried beans and pulses.
- They’re an amazing supply of protein, fiber, iron, potassium and folate!
- Additionally, lentils are tremendous versatile – you should use them in any recipe you’d use floor meat – like tacos, soup, burgers, casseroles and extra.
So, right here’s my model of Cooking Gentle’s authentic recipe – serve it warmed or chilly!
Description
This lentil bacon salad is wealthy in protein, fiber, iron, folate and taste.
For the lentils:
- 1 cup raw lentils
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
For the carrots & bacon:
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrots (or child carrots lower in half)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 4 items center-cut raw bacon
For the pita:
- 2 ounces gorgonzola cheese
- 2 items of pita bread
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper
- 2 romaine heads, chopped
- In a medium sized pan, prepare dinner lentils in keeping with bundle directions in broth or water.
- Preheat the oven to 400 levels Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, toss carrots with one tablespoon olive oil and Cajun seasoning. Unfold on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for half-hour, stirring often.
- On one other foil lined pan, lay strips of bacon. Put into oven (you are able to do this the identical time because the carrots) and bake till crisp – about 15 – 18 minutes. Take away from oven and blot with paper towels. Rip into chew sized items.
- As soon as carrots and bacon are completed, flip oven to broil setting. Unfold gorgonzola over pitas. Place on a pan and put below broiler till cheese is melted and pita is toasted (1 1/2 – 2 minutes – maintain your eye on the bread so it doesn’t burn!) Take away from the oven and funky. Reduce into small items with a pizza cutter.
- To make the dressing, whisk collectively 1/4 cup canola oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and a touch of salt and pepper. Add to a pourable bottle for serving.
- To assemble the salads, divide the romaine lettuce over 4 dinner plates. Spoon lentils on high, then carrots, bacon and pita items. Serve with the dressing.
Do you want lentils? How do you wish to eat them?