7 Delicious, Nutrient Dense Lentil Salads

These nutrient dense lentil salads are an easy, delicious way to eat more carbs from nature. Loaded with brain essential nutrients for better cognitive function and mood, rich in fiber, they also fuel stable energy.

Select one to try each week for the next 7 weeks of summer. Which one will you start with?

They are robust enough to be a meal. But I make them as side for Sunday dinner with

• Pork tenderloin
• Chicken breasts
• Grilled or roasted salmon
• Grilled steak

Then I re-purpose them into other meals during the week:

• Hefty green salads with a dollop of guacamole or plain Greek yogurt
• Grain bowls with quinoa or brown rice
• Wraps with goat cheese, Greek yogurt, guacamole and greens

Lentil Tabbouli Salad – Feasting At Home

7 plant foods + 2 spices

This is a classic Mediterranean lentil salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, lots of parsley and mint.

I like to add 1 cup quinoa or bulgur and feta cheese.

Moroccan Lentil Carrot Salad – Upbeet Kitchen

9 plant foods + 5 spices

Colorful, crunchy, crazy delicious with walnuts, raisins and Kalamata olives this is a visual and savory delight.

Given the Moroccan spices – turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, paprika – it is loaded with powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Pomegranates – The Mediterranean Dish

5 plant foods + 2 spices

This is a beautiful super-nutrient salad loaded with brain essential nutrients.

I love everything about pomegranates – the color, the flavor, the powerful nutrients. They also grow in our garden in Cochabamba, another reason I love them. They taste like home.

Sadly, pomegranates are not easily available (or affordable!) in summer. So, I use fresh blueberries or raspberries. Or dried cranberries.

Mediterranean Farro Salad – Gimme Some Oven

5 plant foods + 2 spices

Sun-dried tomatoes make this dish stand out. Savor it mindfully, each bite can taste the sunshine concentrated in each bite. Farro is a type of ancient wheat that was common throughout Europe, north Africa and the Near East.

[su_expanding_quote_book alignment=”full” source_author=”Margaret Wittenberg” source_title=”The Essential Good Food Guide” full_quote=”Nutritionally rich in fiber, magnesium, vitamins A, E and various B vitamins, farro is claimed to be the grain that fueled the Roman legions. It ultimately fell from favor as other types of wheat were developed that had higher yields and were easier to produce. Still, its cultivation survived in Ethiopia and some areas of northern and central Italy. Because it is distinct from hydbrized wheat and is lower in gluten, some individuals who are sensitive to common wheat can better tolerate it.”” short_quote=”Nutritionally rich in fiber, magnesium, vitamins A, E and various B vitamins”]

“Nutritionally rich in fiber, magnesium, vitamins A, E and various B vitamins, farro is claimed to be the grain that fueled the Roman legions. It ultimately fell from favor as other types of wheat were developed that had higher yields and were easier to produce. Still, its cultivation survived in Ethiopia and some areas of northern and central Italy. Because it is distinct from hydbrized wheat and is lower in gluten, some individuals who are sensitive to common wheat can better tolerate it.”

Red Cabbage and Lentil Salad –Laura Live Well

5 plant foods: red cabbage, carrots, lentils and sesame seeds (in tahini). I add chopped celery.
Tahini is a creamy paste made of roasted sesame seeds used in Middle Eastern foods. Sesame seeds are rich in brain essential B vitamins, selenium and protein. Tahini acts as an antioxidant and helps lower inflammation in the body.