Roasted Veggie Lentil Salad
Total Estimated Time: 1 hour
This warm, nourishing salad recipe is one of my current favorites during fall and winter seasons. It fills me up, it’s easy to meal prep, and most importantly: makes my tummy feel satisfied and warm. I love the zing of the dressing, the crunch of the pumpkin seeds, and the tang of the goat cheese!
The lentils soak in the herbal and aromatic notes of the bay leaf, and the punch of the garlic adds a hint of the garlic flavor without it being too powerful. Roasting the veggies brings out their natural sweetness, with the added earthy, woodsy, and slightly floral notes of the spices.
All of these elements mix perfectly together, giving your taste buds an explosion of flavors and variety of textures.
It’s easy to prep, just some chopping, mixing, and roasting!
Ingredients
Salad
1 cup lentils
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 bay leaves
1 lb brussels sprouts, half or quartered
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
bunch of green onions, chopped
avocado oil
3 tsp thyme
2 tsp rosemary
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Maple-Mustard Dressing
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp stone ground mustard
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small pot, combine lentils, 3 cups of water, garlic, bay leaf, and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain excess water and discard bay leaves and garlic cloves.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil and add brussels sprouts and butternut squash
Drizzle with avocado oil and season with thyme, rosemary, coriander, paprika, salt and pepper and toss well to coat
Roast for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft, golden and crisp.
Prepare maple-mustard dressing by whisking together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, stone ground mustard, salt and pepper into a large mixing bowl
Add cooked lentils and roasted veggies into the mixing bowl and stir until coated in the dressing
Add the goat cheese and pumpkin seeds, and toss to combine.
That’s it! I love to eat this warm, and it stays well in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to reheat the leftovers, making for an easy lunch option throughout the week.
How this salad will help fuel your body:
If you didn’t know, lentils are a great source of protein and iron for us vegetarians/vegans! They are gentle on the stomach and are gut friendly due to their fiber content.
Squashes are in season and so yummy right now, butternut squash is one of my favorites. They are full of vitamins, especially vitamin C, which is great for the skin and for the cold and flu season approaching. And for us plant-based baddies, vitamin C “boosts the body's ability to absorb iron from plant-based foods.” Check out this brief Harvard article for more info about the benefits of vitamin C!
Brussels sprouts are an amazing cruciferous vegetable, which gives the liver a detox boost.
Green veggies are also rich in vitamin K and magnesium, which aid in heart, bone, and nervous system health.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it went in the comments! I’m excited to provide you with more healthy, delicious, and easy-to-understand vegetarian recipes ♥️
Love,
The Curly Goat
