Zesty Spiced Lentil Salad: Repost

I posted this recipe back in December. I was going through my recipes trying to find a good bean one to share at Ultimate Recipe Swap when I stumbled upon this great recipe. Since it is served room temperature it is a great meal to serve as the temperatures start to rise!

Did you know that pregnant women need 60-70 grams of protein EVERY day?! While I eat meat, I have never been a real carnivore. I am also one of those strange people that doesn't like eggs and whose body can't tolerate large amounts of cheese. Needless to say, it has been a battle getting enough protein worked into my diet.

I recently won a wonderful vegetarian cookbook from Amy at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. I have been using it to get inspiration for alternative ways to get the right amount of protein. This is one of the recipes I came up with. It is actually quite simple and you can substitute any veggies you have to make it even easier. I also cooked up extra lentils to make into Lentil Burgers (recipe to come soon).

4 cups lentils (cooked)
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 carrots, diced
4 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
4 radishes, sliced
2 Serrano chilies, finely chopped (to taste)
juice and zest of two limes
¼ c. of fresh orange juice (I had those little satsuma ones on hand and they worked great)
¼ c. of olive oil
1T. cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ginger powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste, this does make it quite spicy)
½ c. of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook lentils on the stovetop with a bay leaf based on package directions. They should be tender but firm, do not overcook them. Drain well and let them cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper, spices and oil. Add the chilies and red onion. Mix to combine all the ingredients.

In a salad bowl, gently combine the lentils with the carrots, radishes, tomato and cucumber. Stir the dressing; pour over the lentils and vegetables. Gently toss together and garnish with the cilantro. Serve at room temperature.