Makes: six servings
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes, plus two hours to chill
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
- ¼ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup cooked white quinoa, cooled*
- 1 cup cooked lentils, cooled
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 2 small English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tbs. crumbled organic goat’s or sheep’s milk feta cheese (optional)
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and salt. Pour over the cooked quinoa, then add the cooked lentils, parsley, and mint. Toss with a fork until all ingredients are well combined. Chill for at least two hours.
- Add the cucumbers and tomatoes and use a fork to gently combine. Add another squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch of salt to taste. Sprinkle with feta before serving.
Tip: For a nutritional boost, add 1 cup of arugula — rich with vitamins A and K — when you add the cucumbers.
* Lentils and quinoa can be prepared up to a week ahead. Find a basic quinoa recipe at “Quinoa: The Super Seed.”
Why No Numbers?
Readers sometimes ask us why we don’t publish nutrition information with our recipes. We believe that (barring specific medical advice to the contrary) if you’re eating primarily whole, healthy foods — an array of sustainably raised vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, meats, fish, eggs, whole-kernel grains, and healthy fats and oils — you probably don’t need to stress about the numbers. We prefer to focus on food quality and trust our bodies to tell us what we need. — The Editors
