Bitting on a cold soggy sandwich for a mid-hike lunch break, what a pleasant feeling, right? No, of course not, just kidding! Instead what about opening your lunchbox and find the best cold lentil salad you ever had, the lemon flavoured lentils melting in your mouth! I can make it become a reality as I have the recipe for this Best Cold Lentil Salad.
As a hiker, I know how hard it very well may be to find ideas for meals you can bring on a hike. Add to this that you burn around 430 calories per hour when hiking (depending on weight), you need to make sure you have a meal that will bring you the required nutrients and still taste great. This is why I have created this nutritive lentil salad that I wanted to share with you. Made with sweet potatoes, tomatoes and cheese and accompanied by a homemade sauce, it will brighten your lunch and be appealing to your envious hiking buddies
So let’s dig into it!
What is inside the best cold lentil salad recipe?
As a vegetarian (on and off), I have learnt to mix and match the flavours over the years. This salad is born from various recipes that I knew and my own experience. So what is this salad exactly made of and how it can benefit you when on a hike?
Lentils: They are rich in proteins, fibres and antioxidants. They have a low glycemic index which means we won’t be pulling on weight. They are classed as slow-release carbs which makes them the perfect ally if you are on a long hike as it will help you to keep going.
Tomatoes: They are rich in vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants. Their consumption helps prevent heart problems and maintain good eyesight.
Sweet potatoes: They are classed as slow-release carbs too and they are high in fibre, antioxidants are a source of vitamins and minerals. They are really nutritious and are recommended as part of a diet to reduce post-workout inflammation.
Goat cheese: It contains calcium, phosphorus and copper to keep the bones strong. It is easier to digest and represent a good alternative to cow-milk cheese.
Onion: They are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. Same as goat cheese, they are good for the bones.
How to make the best cold lentil salad? My tips for the recipe
“Oh my God, this is the best lentil salad I have tasted!”
This is what I wish my father would have said when I first served it to him. Unfortunately for me, it was the opposite. “There is not enough of this, not enough of that…“. His feedback helped me improved the recipe to what it is now. So, if you want to impress your hiking buddies when they try your lunch, here are a couple of tips I have for you.
To cook
- Use dry lentils and not tin canned ones or the one in microwavable pouches which are too salty
- Cook the lentils in a broth either vegetable or chicken instead of plain water
- Add garlic and lemon to the broth to give more flavour
- Add lettuce to the salad it will look better on a plate (or lunchbox)
- You can swap the goat cheese with feta cheese depending on your preference
- Optional: Add slices of boiled egg (that’s my father’s favourite)
- Additional information: Carry it in an insulated lunch bag to keep it cool during the first part of your hike
To manage your time
- Peel and cut the sweet potato while the oven is preheating
- Cut the onion while the sweet potato is baking
- Cut the tomato and cheese while the sweet potato and onion are baking
- Prepare the sauce while the sweet potato and onion are cooling down
Honestly, I could not come up with an actual name for this recipe, so I simply call it “The Best Cold Lentil Salad“.
Bon appetit!
The “Best Cold Lentil Salad” recipe
Cold Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Sweet potato
- 1 Tomato
- 100 g Goat Cheese Semi-soft
- 150 g Cooked Lentils
- 1 Onion
- 5 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Thyme dry
- Salt and Pepper
Dressing
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 pinch Curcuma
- 1 pinch Cumin
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees
- Peel the sweet potato and cut it into cubes
- Chop the onion
- Place the cubes of sweet potato on the tray
- Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper and mix it by hand
- Place on the middle tray and let it bake for 10 minutes
- Halfway through add the onion to the tray and let it bake for 5 minutes
- Cut the tomato into cubes
- Slice the goat cheese and cut it into small pieces
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool down
- In a salad bowl, place the cooked lentils, add the tomatoes, the sweet potatoes and the onion
- Pour the sauce and mix it well until absorbed
- Sprinkle with goat cheese on top
- Add salt and pepper for taste
Dressing
- Mix 4 tbsp of olive oil, lime juice, thyme, Curcuma, cumin, salt and pepper
- Leave it to rest
Notes
- This recipe does not include the cooking time of lentils. As specified in the ingredient, it takes into account that the lentils are already cooked
- I recommend that you choose dry lentils even though they take longer to cook than tin lentils or the one in the microwavable pouch because they contain less salt hence are better for health
- When cooking the lentils, a tip is to boil them in vegetable broth (or chicken broth)rather than plain water and add garlic and lemon for the taste
- You can replace the goat cheese with feta cheese
- You can add some lettuce to it at the end. My mum tried it and it does look nicer on the plate (or the lunchbox)
- Final tip, you can add slices of boiled egg to it, it is delicious!
- Nutrition facts table
I hope that you have enjoyed the Best Cold Lentil Salad recipe. If you have any suggestion or know any other cold lentil salad recipes that you would like to share, please leave me a comment below. I would love to learn about lunch fav to bring on a day hike.
Now you have the lunch sorted, all you need to do is hit the trail to try it on. So, why not check these easy walks as a place to start?
Orpington to Knockholt: An Easy Sunday Walk
Epping Forest: A Walk Accessible By Tube
Sole Street Circular: A Walk In Kent
Kingston Loop: A Perfect Sunny Day Walk
Margate to Ramsgate via Broadstairs walk: The Viking Trail
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