French lentil salad with chopped veggies

I know I post a lot of cake and cocktails on this blog, but I don’t eat that all the time. Today, I’m sharing one of my healthier go-tos: a delicious lentil salad packed with herbs and crunchy veggies, marinated in a simple dressing and topped with tangy feta.

This simple, protein packed salad is perfect for weekday lunches or weekend picnics. It’s fast, flavorful, and easy to make ahead. You just mix everything together and let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours, so the flavors have some time to meld together.

I used precooked lentils from Trader Joe’s to save time, but you could also boil your own. Just be sure to add some salt and herbs so the lentils have some flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 lb steamed French lentils from Trader Joe’s*
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup loosely packed parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 6 large mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup crumbled feta (optional)

Note: The Trader Joe’s lentils already have salt and essential oils mildly flavored with cloves, laurel, thyme, pepper, and garlic. If you cook your own lentils, try adding these ingredients to the water to infuse more flavor.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except the feta. Get fly toss together until ingredients are well distributed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. To serve, crumble feta on top, if using, and more parsley and mint.