Beet, Lentil, Red Cabbage & Sprout Salad with Feta, Walnuts & Cranberries

Beets and feta cheese are a very popular combination and when you throw in some lentils along with cabbage, nuts, and cranberries you have a complete meal. The sprouts gave it some greenery and crispness but they can be hard to find these days. You could use micro-greens or even just hydroponic lettuce shredded up fairly finely instead.

As usual, very easy and quick to put together once you have done the advance cooking which is very easy too, just not so quick. No problem to cook the beets and lentils a day in advance if that is helpful.

2 to 6 servings
allow 1 hour plus cooling time for the beet and lentils
20 minutes prep time to assemble the salad

Cook the Lentils & Beet:
1/2 cup brown or green lentils
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 large beet

Put the lentils into a rice cooker with the water and salt; turn on and cook. Let cool. (If you cook lentils some other way, or use tinned ones, you will need about 1 1/2 cups, well drained.)

Put the beet into a small but deep pot and cover with water generously. Bring to a boil and boil steadily for about 45 minutes, until tender. Drain and let cool.

Make the Dressing:
the juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil

Squeeze out the lemon juice and strain out any seeds. Put it in a small bowl or jam jar and whisk or mix with the remaining ingredients.

Make the Salad:
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated or finely chopped red cabbage
1 1/2 to 2 cups sprouts or micro-greens
1 small head Belgian Endive
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Peel the beet and coarsely grate it. Wash, trim, and coarsely grate the cabbage. Mix them with the well-drained lentils in a mixing bowl.

Wash the sprouts and drain them very well. Pull them into little clumps and mix them into the salad. Wash, trim, and chop the endive and mix it in. Arrange the salad on a flattish salad dish or platter, and sprinkle the chopped walnuts, crumbled feta cheese, an cranberries over it.

Drizzle the salad with the dressing and serve.




Last year at this time I made Cocoa Crepes. Wow, was that just a year ago? I've made them several times since then and they are good. They are even on my new diet!

Posted in: Ontario Food