Healthy Greek Lentil Salad

Add extra flavour and texture to your lentil salad combined with plenty of vegetables and protein for a nutritious lunch or side.

Most people don't eat dried legumes during summer mainly because of the abundance of fresh vegetables but also because they have correlated legumes with soups. 

However, dried legumes are a great source for protein and the combination of any dried legumes with lots of vegetables makes a healthy and perfect meal for  hot summer days.

Whenever I go to the farmers' market I do have a few things in mind what I need to buy but then I end up with so many other things based on how appealing they look and if they are cheap, I grab them, as I know I will find a way to use them.

You cannot imagine how excited I was last week when I heard a producer promoting his vegetables when I heard that he was selling fresh coriander (cilantro). 

I had already passed his stall when I heard him and returned back trying to realize if what I heard was right.  

I was so excited to find fresh coriander (cilantro) in the farmers' market after so many years in Greece and if he did not reassure me that he would be there next week as well I would have bought all the bunches.  

The last time I bought some cilantro was from a Middle Eastern Grocery in the centre of Athens.

Although coriander is known to the Greeks since the ancient times, for some unexplained reasons you do not find it used in the Greek cuisine, either fresh or using the seeds, contrary to Cyprus where both are used.

The word comes from the Greek “κορίαννον” (koriannon).

The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek ko-ri-ja-da-na (written in Linear B syllabic script, reconstructed as koriadnon), similar to the name of Minos' daughter Ariadne, and it is plain how this might later evolve to koriannon or koriandron.:   Wikipedia

In Greece it's not usual to eat raw courgettes or raw mushrooms.  I've learned to eat raw mushrooms in salads some years back, again from blogging friends so when I saw Angie's recipe using raw courgettes, I decided that it was time to try raw courgettes as well.     

I made a combination with most of the vegetables I had bought and was amazed how wonderful it was.

A few days later,  I still had most of the ingredients in the refrigerator but this time instead of making a salad, I made a tasty and satisfying main dish, changing a few ingredients and adding lentils.

In this salad I added among other radishes, rocket (arugula) and fresh coriander (cilantrol) and because these vegetables have a slight peppery taste  I added an apple and some craisins to balance the taste. 

You don't necessarily have to add an apple and craisins but if you like you could add a pear and some raisins.

All the vegetables and the almonds added a lovely crunchiness to the salad.

Raw Vegetable Salad

Preparation time: about half an hour

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients:

• 2 radishes
• 1 courgette
• 1 button mushroom
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 1 spring onion
• 1 apple, peeled and cored
• 3 – 4 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons craisins
• 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped

Salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 – 5 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Greek thyme honey
• 1 small clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• Salt and freshly grated black pepper

Directions:

Using a mandolin slicer cut all the vegetables, except cherry tomatoes, which halve.

In a large bowl, mix all the vegetables.

In a food processor coarsely chop the almonds.  Add to the salad.

In the same food processor add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix. Pour dressing over the salad.  Add dried cranberries and toss well.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper.  Chill before serving.

Fakes (lentil) recipes

From main dishes, to soups or salads, here are some of our favorite recipes to cook with a pantry staple, lentils.

Fakokeftedes, Healthful Greek Lentil Burgers, with leftovers

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Lentil and Bulgur Spicy Salad

A perfect nutritional, light, summer side dish and why not a main dish.  The Lentil and Bulgur Spicy Salad is vegan but if you are not vegan, it goes well with some Greek yoghurt.

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Coconut Red Lentil Soup

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Brown Lentils with Carrots, Orzo and Caramelized Onions

This Brown Lentils with Carrots, Orzo and caramelized onions dish has been one of my family's favourite Cypriot dishes for years.
The addition of carrots and serving them with caramelized onions on top, add a lovely sweetness to the dish and an intense depth of flavour.

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Fakes Moutzentra - Cypriot Lentils with Rice

Fakes moutzentra is a lentil recipe we make in Cyprus and is a high protein, balanced healthy food, especially with the combination of rice.

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Greek Brown Lentils with Smoked Eggplant and Pasta

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Kritharaki me Fakes kai Pasto (Orzo with Lentils and Smoked Pork)

Kritharaki me Fakes (pronounced fakhés) is a pasta dish made with orzo and brown lentils. This is a different way of making the Cypriot dish called fakhés moudzentra, which is a staple lentil dish, cooked with brown lentils and rice and then caramelized onions, which are called "tiganissi", are mixed in.

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Fakes Soupa (Greek Lentil Soup)

Fakes (pronounced fakhés) is a Greek vegan lentil soup with vegetables.  It is of high nutritional value which makes it perfect for the cold days!

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Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!!