I’ve set a goal. I know I’m never going to be back to my perfect size. Never gonna happen. But I’d like to get close to that size… or around the corner from it. Or just in the neighborhood. I’d like to lose 10 (really 15) pounds. I’ve been eating more fruits and vegetables, and trying to avoid the bad (or really, really good!) stuff.  I’ve even been using my pool for laps every morning. We’ll see how long that lasts!

This salad is an attempt to recreate a lentil salad I had while on a friend’s sailboat recently.  It was so good that I kept eating it.  And eating it. And eating it.  You get the point, right?  The best part is that the salad was definitely healthy.  All I remembered were lentils, caramelized onions and herbs.  I’ve made something similar, but I’m pretty sure it’s totally different.  Either way… its yummy and great for my new healthy eating regime!

Lentil Salad Recipe
1 c dried lentils
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
salt
black pepper
3-4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion, sliced (not too thin)
1 roasted red pepper, cut into small strips
10 kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1. Rinse the lentils in cold water and place into a small pan with the garlic, dried thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Cover with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes until just starting to soften.  I prefer my lentils with a little bit of a bite so I slightly under cook them.  Strain, discard the garlic and add lentils to a large bowl.

2. While the lentils are cooking, Heat a saute pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.  Add the onions, salt and pepper and saute for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.  Stir often to avoid burning.  Add to the bowl with lentils.

3. Add the roasted red pepper, olives, fresh herbs, vinegar and remainder of olive oil to the bowl.  Gently toss the ingredients together to combine.  If it seems to dry, add a little water or you could add more olive oil.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Makes 4 servings