Serves: 2
Time: 35 mins (5-10 mins if using ready cooked lentils)
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| Zucchini Ribbon & Lentil Salad |
This past week in England, apart from a thunderstorm there has been absolutely beautiful weather, including the hottest day of July ever recorded in the UK; on hot summer days like this hot food is pretty much out of question, you want light food that's still sure to deliver on flavour. This salad does exactly that; thin ribbons of zucchini (courgette), with lentils & fresh cherry tomatoes, topped with a creamy and zesty avocado parsley dressing that's to die for.
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| Zucchini Ribbon & Lentil Salad |
This recipe is packed full of goodness, loaded with fresh seasonal veggies that not only taste amazing but are high in a whole range of vitamins that will leave you feeling - dare I say it, euphoric. Lentils are so nutrient dense, being high in both protein and iron and a low GI food, meaning it won't cause your blood sugar to skyrocket and will keep you fuller for longer. The dressing has a base of avocado, which will help you to absorb the fat soluble vitamins in this salad, whilst also being loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, itself.
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| Zucchini Ribbon & Lentil Salad |
The good news about zucchini ribbons rather than zucchini noodles is that you don't need any fancy equipment - a simple vegetable peeler and 5 minutes of your time and you've got something that's sure to impress. Aside from the lentils, this salad is raw, so for a completely raw dish, substitute in sprouted beans, like adzuki beans - however, if sprouting yourself, make sure you do your research properly as there are some beans that should never be sprouted or eaten raw. I used dried lentils and boiled them for this recipe, but to save time you could use a can - just skip to step 2 on the method.
You'll need:
- Saucepan
- Sieve
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Food processor/blender
- Serving platter/large plate
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup dried green/brown lentils
- 2 zucchini (courgettes)
- 10-15 cherry tomatoes
Dressing:
- 1 small ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 15 capers (or a pinch of salt)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup water
Method:
- Rinse the lentils with water, add to a saucepan of water and boil for 30 minutes. Then drain the lentils, and run through cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Meanwhile, wash the courgettes and chop off the ends. To make the ribbons run the vegetable peeler down the entire length of the zucchini, pressing down slightly as you do (for larger courgettes you may want to cut the ribbons in half). Chop the cherry tomatoes into quarters and arrange both the zucchini and tomatoes on a serving platter.
- To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth - you may need to add more water depending on the size of your avocado. Once smooth, taste the dressing to see if it needs anything else - more lemon juice, capers, garlic powder etc and adjust accordingly.
- Add the lentils to the zucchini ribbons on the platter and drizzle with the dressing - serve up with some more dressing on the side and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
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| Zucchini Ribbon & Lentil Salad |
