Black Lentil Salad with Apples & Toasted Coconut
How many ways can you say yum?
This black lentil salad was a lovely mix of East meets West, exotic but also simple to make.
The toasted coconut and ginger add an important crunchy element, and I would recommend using the topping on any of your favorite salads.
Before I became vegan, I wasn't that versed in cooking with lentils. I thought they were drab but learned they can be taken to new levels with the right ingredients. They are also one the healthiest foods you can eat.
Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse and can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and increase energy.
Lentils are also low in calories and contain virtually no fat making them a great addition to a weight-loss plan. They are available in a range of colors and each have a different cooking time.
I choose the beluga black for the this lentil salad. The beluga black lentils are very small and cook quicker than most lentils, so make sure you don't overcook them. There is nothing worse than mushy lentils.
Hope you enjoy this black lentil salad as much as I did. If you enjoy these types of flavors, you may enjoy my Pomelo Salad with Almonds and Coconuts and my Kale and Quinoa Salad.
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- 2 cups beluga black lentils
- 1 large fuji apple, cored and diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- juice of 1½ lemons
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup loosely packed, chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1½ Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- Wash the lentils and soak them for 2 hours in tepid water; drain
- In a deep pot, add 8 cups of water to the lentils, bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until firm not mushy. Rinse the lentils with cold water and drain
- In a large bowl, mix together the lentils, apple, bell pepper, jalapeno, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and parsley. Stir and eat immediately or set aside in fridge.
- Just before serving, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. When hot, saute the ginger and coconut for a few minutes until golden and toasty. Sprink this garnish over the lentils and serve immediately.
Made this last night – so yummy – thanks