Lentil Salad with Spinach and Walnuts

A girlfriend of mine had been raving for months about this lentil salad recipe.  She'd made it over and over and kept telling me I had to try it. I think she gave me the recipe at one time and I put in "the pile".  I don't know if you have one, but those of us who cook a lot have a pile of recipes that we want to try.  The recipe went into the pile and was never seen again. Months later she gave me the recipe again, and I decided not to put it in the pile, but to just make it right then and there. I knew she would not be happy until I made it, so I was able to make her happy and discover that yes, she was right, this is a great tasting salad.  Now I can't imagine not having this in my recipe book.

I made it the week of Christmas, and was so glad I did because we were eating so much rich food, dishes we don't normally eat, and we needed something really healthy to break the cycle of holiday eating.  This dish is really good when you first make it, but I found out that leaving it in the refrigerator for a couple of days makes it so much better. I think I will probably always try and make it ahead of time because the flavor becomes more intense because the vinaigrette absorbs into the lentils.

The combination of ingredients sounds a little strange, but somehow they all go together beautifully.  This original recipe is from Cooks Illustrated but I did my usual thing and changed it up to my liking.  After all, a recipe is only a guide.  Make it your own. 

I like to use a stock to cook the lentils because it adds more flavor to the finished dish, but you can use water if you choose.  

Ingredients: 
1 cup green lentils, rinsed and picked through
1 bay leaf
2 cups vegetable stock, or water
1 tsp salt 
pinch of pepper
2 whole garlic cloves  
1 bunch of spinach 
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan      
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil 
1 small shallot, finely minced
salt and pepper

In a saucepan, cook the lentils in the stock with the bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper. They should take approximately 22 minutes, but test for doneness.  Don't over cook them or they will get mushy.  Remove the bay leaf and garlic.  

Cook the spinach, drain off any excess moisture, chop small.  If you don't want to go to the trouble of cooking fresh spinach you could always use a package of frozen chopped spinach, just be sure to drain it well.  

Toast the walnuts in a saucepan on top of the stove.  Watch it closely. Toss every minute of so until they just start to turn brown and you can smell them.   Cool.  Chop into small pieces. 

Grate the Parmesan.

Make the vinaigrette by combining the vinegar, olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper.   

Now combine if all in a large bowl, and toss well. 

If you can, allow it to sit so the flavors can marinate.  If you're going to eat right away it can sit at room temp for awhile. You can also make it ahead of time, cover and store it in the refrig.  I like to take the chill off before eating, so I heat it very slightly. Not so much to get it hot, only to make it room temp or very slightly warm. 

Is this a great recipe when you need a nutritionally dense bite.  It contains lots of fiber and good fat so it will fill you up and give you energy.  Smile when you eat it because you are doing something really good for your body! 

Oatmeal 101

Oatmeal can be a quick, filling, nutritious breakfast, but it's got to be done right. As with all food, once you start changing it from it's natural state it losses some of its nutritional value. Therefore, choose steel cut oats because it is a whole grain and it contains the most fiber and protein, and no sugar, which is extremely important.  Once you start selecting a lesser grade the fiber is less, the protein in less and now sugar comes into play.  The goal is that you want an oatmeal that digests slowly, that does not spike your glucose level, that keeps you full and satisfied until lunch time. That happens when you eat steel cut oaks. When you eat processed oatmeal you are eating sugar which now spikes your glucose level and burns through your system quicker, and can lead to hunger before lunch time. This type of food is also what eventually leads to diabetes.  But that's another article.  

Here's a quick example of the nutritional value of a serving of steel cut oaks, rolled oats, and one of the most popular instant oatmeal products. 

Brand                                    Cals     Protein        Fiber      Sugar      Carbs 
McCann's Steel Cut                  150       4.0            4.0         0             26.0
Coach's Oats Steel Cut             160       6.0            4.0         0             27.0
Country Choice  Rolled Oats      150       5.0            4.0         1             27.0
Instant maple and brown sugar 157       3.7            2.8         12.6         31.0

If you were only looking at the total calorie count of these products you would think the instant is fine to eat. But not all calories are created equal. Instant will put weight on you, the steel cut oaks will help you lose weight and will also improve cholesterol.  The instant contains sugar, and less fiber and protein, which is the problem and why it does not work in your body in the same way as the steel cut. 

The thing about steel cut oats is that because they are a whole grain they take longer to cook, however, there are a couple ways to deal with this. You can make a big batch at the beginning of the week, store it in the frig, and have it on hand ready to go for each day.  I buy a brand called Coaches Oats which is steel cut that has been slightly ground, so it cooks in 5 minutes.  You get all the benefits of steel cut oaks in no time at all.    

Now if you really want to up the nutrition you can add some fruit and nuts. I always put walnuts in my oatmeal because they contain omega 3's and you need the good fat.  If you have a long day and want something that will keep you full for hours on end try the recipe below. When I know I have a long day, or don't know when I'll get lunch I make this. 

Follow the instructions on the label for cooking.  Make one serving and then add a big pinch of cinnamon, half a sliced banana, 1/4 cup of blueberries, and 2 tbsp walnuts.  Chia seeds are also a good omega 3. You can add stevia if you need a sweetener.  

I also recommend adding some protein powder to your oatmeal. We all need protein in the morning.  If you have sugar cravings, eating protein in the morning helps alleviate these cravings.

If you are in good shape, exercise regularly, and have no issues with sugar you can add a small amount of brown sugar, agave, or maple syrup instead of stevia.  My husband loves dried cranberries in his, and he is in pretty good shape so he can have them. I have issues with sugar so I can't eat them anymore.  Therefore, I use stevia only. 

This is oatmeal you can feel good about. It does a body good. When eating, think about what you are doing for your body.  You are either doing something good or something bad.  Choose the good. Good health is your reward.