Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad with Beluga Lentils
When it’s easy to put together, light yet satisfying and delicious, plus heart healthy it’s a keeper! And the baked sweet potato makes a perfect side. As our diet has ventured away from the routine of a sandwich for lunch to healthier choices filled with lots of whole, unprocessed foods, this salad is perfect and one I make often! It’s also great for a light dinner.
Lentils, the superfood, provide twice as much iron as other legumes and are higher in most B vitamins and folate. They’re also a good source of protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Another super thing about black beluga lentils, according to the USDA, is that their black pigment acts like an antioxidant so they help protect against heart disease, cancer and aging.
Black beluga lentils get their name from the caviar they resemble. They cook quickly, hold their shape well and retain a nice firm texture making them ideal for salads, pilafs as well as soups. Before cooking, rinse them thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear.
Tip: French green “du Puy” lentils
Recipe: Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ cup Black Beluga Lentils
, rinsed and soaked 8 hours or overnight
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
- 1 small red onion or shallot, sliced into rings (⅔ cup)
- ¼ cup chopped almonds, toasted
Honey-Mustard Dressing
- 4 Tbs. cold-pressed olive oil
- 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. raw honey
or agave nectar
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Instructions
- To make the salad, rinse and drain the lentils and place them in a medium pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 18 minutes. Add broccoli, cover pan, and steam 2 to 3 minutes, or until broccoli and lentils are al dente.
- Meanwhile, to make the Honey-Mustard Dressing, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
- Drain off any remaining liquid from broccoli and lentils, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve garnished with onion and almonds.
Fix it! Plan Photos by: Bill Peterson Galleries 
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This looks so good, I would give just about anything for a plate of it to arrive at my desk right now. If I had lentils soaked I would make this the second I got home.