Winter vegetable and lentil salad

A winter vegetable lentil salad that can be served hot or cold. This is a an easy recipe and makes for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup of green puy lentils

• 1 medium sized sweet potato (chopped into small cubes)

• 1 medium sized carrot (chopped into small pieces)

• 1 medium sized parsnip (chopped into small pieces)

• Half (medium to large) red onion (chopped into four pieces)

• Pinch of sweet paprika

• Olive oil

• Pinch of salt

Dressing

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon of Maple syrup

• 1 small clove of garlic (crushed)

• Juice of 1 small lime

• Juice of ½ medium sized orange

Garnish (optional)

• Watercress

• Pumpkin seeds

Instructions

• Mix the vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, parsnip and onions) with olive oil, paprika and some salt in a bowl. Arrange the vegetables in a roasting tray and roast in an oven until tender (15-20 mins)

• Make the dressing by whisking together all of the dressing ingredients, set aside

• Take 1 cup of green puy lentils and rinse in water 2-3 times

• Bring 5 cups of fresh water to boil and add the rinsed lentils. Boil lentils for 10-15 minutes. Once tender, (mash between two fingers to check) remove from heat and drain

• Add the roasted vegetables, salad dressing to the hot lentils and mix.

• Add some watercress, pumpkin seeds to garnish

• Serve immediately while hot or cool and serve as a cold salad