Lentil Pasta Salad

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Lentil Pasta Salad

This Lentil Pasta Salad features small shellpasta to scoop up every flavorful ingredient in this super yummysalad.  Diced tomatoes, red onion, bell peppers and olives are tossedin a lemony vinaigrette before being mixed with the pasta.  ThisMediterranean inspired pasta dish is the perfect light salad to bring to thepicnic.  It’s also a great side dish for grilled meats or fish. Everyone is sure to love this one.  Or at least that’s what I thought whenI wrote the recipe.  The truth of the matter is that my daughter took onelook at it and refused to even taste it.  And so I dutifully made hersomething less nutritious to eat as I reminisced about how my parents wouldhave handled the matter.  I might have sounded something like “eat this orstarve”.  So maybe it’s not the most kid friendly dish depending on howadventurous your child’s tastes are.  However, in defense of thedelectable salad, everyone who did try it loved it. So what's your favoritedish to bring to the barbecue?

Lentil Pasta Salad Prep time: 20 min Cook time:  30 min
Ingredients list
·        8oz dried lentil beans·        8oz gluten free small shell pasta, cooked according to the package instructions·        2plum tomatoes, diced·        ½red bell pepper, diced ·        ½red onion, diced·        1rib of celery, diced·        ¼cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped·        ½cup green olives, quartered       ·        ½cup black olives, quartered       ·        FORTHE DRESSING:·        1lemon, juice and zest·        1tbsp Dijon mustard·        2tbsp red wine vinegar·        1clove of grated garlic ·        4tbsp olive oil ·        2tsp Italian seasoning·        ½tsp red pepper flakes, optional·         salt and pepper to taste

Video Tutorial: 




Instructions
1.    Forthe dressing, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients except for theolive oil.  Once those ingredients arewell combined slowly stream in the olive oil and continue whisking until thedressing is emulsified.
2.    Stir all of the diced veggies intothe dressing to coat then set aside.
3.    Add the lentils with some salt andabout 4 cups of water to a 2 quart saucepan and bring it up to a boil.   Lower the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutesor until they’re tender. 
4.    Drain the lentils put them into alarge serving bowl to coolfor about  5 minutes. Stir in themarinated veggies while they’re still warm to absorb the flavors. 
5.    Stirin the cooked pasta and this salad is ready to serve. 

Notes:  Be sure to check the ingredients list on the mustard to ensure there is no glutencontaining ingredients.   For an eveneasier salad feel free to substitute ½ cup of your favorite Italian vinaigrettefor the dressing in the recipe but make sure it's gluten free.