And we're back!

I know, slightly late and worse, no Merry Christmas and Happy New Year I'll be back on such and such a date before I disappeared from the web. Lack of planning on my part and then copious amounts of chocolate eating during the holidays addled the brain a bit, or something like that anyway.
But here we are again and I have been spending a lot of time with my head buried  in cookbooks so let's get started. So we're all on a diet, okay well some of us are on a diet, well truthfully the diet started and ended on January 1st, but we are making more health conscious choices, right? Good, then you are going to love this salad. It's fun to make, pretty to look at has only a few ingredients and tastes great, plus it's super good for you too.


Patricia Wells' Green Lentil Salad on Zucchini Noodles adapted from Food52
 serves 4

1 large zucchini
1 lb french lentils
1 medium onion, halved and stuck with two cloves
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse lentils and put in a pot with the onion, bay leaf and garlic. Cover with cold water by one inch. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 -25 minutes until lentil are done. All the water should have been absorbed, if not drain then discard onion, bay leaf and garlic. Whisk olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour two thirds of the dressing over the lentils and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash, top and tail the zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into long strands similar to linguini or fettuccine. Pile the zucchini 'noodles' in a serving dish and toss in the remaining dressing. Place the lentils on top of the zucchini 'noodles' and serve immediately.


This makes a lot of lentil salad and although we could have eaten it all, I held back some of the lentils and had it for lunch the next day with some butternut squash I pan cooked in some butter and olive oil. Yum!