Red Lentil Salad with Mango Chutney

I first tasted this Red Lentil Salad at my daughter's school's Open House Night. The school really emphasizes the importance of healthy eating, so it's not surprising that they'd have something like this on the buffet table for Open House. In fact, the school's daily lunch menu usually consists of something fresh, organic and homemade. Tofu fried rice, turkey dogs and homemade whole wheat lasagna are just some of the things that they serve the kids. Anyway, I digress... Back to the Red Lentil Salad. This was the first time I've ever had lentils and I absolutely loved it! I hounded the School Director for the recipe and now I'm sharing it with you because it really is such a wonderfully healthy and delicious dish. It's made with red lentils, apple cider vinegar, mango chutney and just a touch of curry. On top of it being high in protein and fiber, the salad has a deliciously tart and sweet flavor. Really yummy!

Salad Ingredients:

24 oz Red Lentils

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 cup chopped raw cashews

1 cup chopped golden raisins

Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

2 heaping tablespoons of curry (I used a mild curry)

1 jar of Major Gray mango chutney

Salt and Pepper to taste

Most of these ingredients can be found at Middle Eastern, Indian or other ethnic grocery stores. The ingredients aren't too exotic, so I wouldn't be surprised to find them at a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

Dice and chop your ingredients as specified. You don't need to adhere to the exact measurements. If you like red bell peppers, feel free to add more than a cup. That's the beauty of salads. You can put as much or as little of certain ingredients as you want.

Place lentils in a large pot and cover with water. Cover and boil for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently. Lentils cook very quickly, so keep an eye on them. You don't want to overcook them. You want them al dente and to keep their reddish color. Cooking all 24 ounces of the lentils actually yields quite a bit of food. Feel free to adjust the quantity as you see fit.

Once al dente, drain and rinse the lentils with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Mix onions, celery, red bell peppers, cashews, cilantro and golden raisins with the red lentils.

In a blender, puree the dressing ingredients (cider vinegar, mango chutney, olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper) together until smooth. Pour over the lentils and veggie mixture. And voila! You're done!

My salad came out a little thicker than expected. I made the mistake of blending the raisins into the dressing. Oops! Still came out delicious though! Enjoy!