Description

Du Puy Lentil Salad with Fennel and Sweet Potato - delicious vegan salad, great as an appetizer or main course! Fancy, yet very easy to make.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup Le Puy lentils (use brown lentils if you can't find Du Puy variety), soaked for at least 2 hours
2 sweet potatoes, peeled if not organic
1 tsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried thyme (for sweet potatoes)
sea salt, pepper
1 tsp coconut oil, melted
1 medium red onion, cut sideways, then thinly sliced
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 small fennel bulbs or 1 big
1 tsp dried thyme (for fennel)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice (1 lime)
1 tsp honey
lettuce of choice (I chose red oak, romaine, and arugula)
handful cherry tomatoes

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Instructions

Soak the lentils for at least 2 hours prior to cooking them.
Preheat your oven to 200C (392F).
Slice your sweet potatoes into about 0,5cm thick slices (just slice them up, don't measure it) and coat them in the 1tsp coconut oil.
Lay them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and sprinkle with the onion and garlic powder, thyme, sea salt, and pepper evenly on both sides.
Roast for 40 minutes or until tender in the middle and crispy on the edges. You can turn on the broiler at the end of roasting to crisp them up even more. Keep an eye on them under the broiler though so they don't burn.
Drain and rinse the lentils and put them in a medium pot and cover with water (approx. 5cm above the lentils).
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender (depends on soaking time). Turn off the heat, add 1/2 tsp sea salt, stir, and let them rest in the salty water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and rinse.
Slice thinly the two fennel bulbs. (see notes for how to do it) Set aside.
Add 1 tsp coconut oil to a big pan and heat over medium-high heat. When hot add the sliced onion and sautee for 5 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
Add the chopped garlic and sautee for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the fennel, 1 tsp thyme, and toss to incorporate well. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid. Sautee on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until tender. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, lime juice, honey in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Wash and chop your lettuce of choice and the tomatoes.
Serve either in a big bowl, a big serving plate or separate plates.
First, add the lettuce, then the lentils, followed by the tomatoes, fennel, and top with the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!

Notes

Cut off the green part and the bottom of the bulb. Start slicing it thinly from the side. When you get toward the middle, cut out the hard part on the bottom of the fennel (as you would with a cauliflower). Continue slicing, the thinner the slices the shorter cook time. You can chop any bigger pieces into smaller stripes. I know it sounds difficult if you've never cooked fennel before but I promise it's super easy once you get the hang of it.