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February 11, 2013 (Updated April 29, 2021)

Quick & Easy Vegan Quinoa Lentil Salad

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

9 comments
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Morning! I’m still in Chapel Hill studying my butt off, but I have a feeling you’re getting tired of reading about our exercise-eat-study-repeat schedule so I thought I would mix it up today with a simple lunch or dinner idea! It’s as easy as can be: salad + veggies + quinoa + lentils = yum.

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The trick to this salad is these precooked lentils from Trader Joe’s! So easy and awesome. And so good I literally eat them straight from the package sometimes. 🙂

lentils

The other trick is precooked quinoa. I like making a big batch of it early in the week and sticking it plain in the fridge so I have it to add to random meals later on! I really love quinoa on top of salads.

For the base of the salad, I used this baby kale from Whole Foods – love this stuff. Not bitter at all!

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To assemble the salad, just put some of the baby kale/greens on a plate, then add 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup of cooked lentils, and whatever veggies you like. I added peppers and also some avocado for healthy fat.

For the dressing, I made my standard mix of balsamic vinegar + hemp oil (great source of omega fatty acids! olive oil is fine if you don’t have hemp oil, though) + dijon mustard + lemon juice (yes, totally using bottled lemon juice – don’t judge). It’s about 2 parts oil, 1 part balsamic, 1 part dijon mustard, and a hearty squeeze of lemon juice. I never measure it – just taste as you go!

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Top with a little salt and cracked pepper and lunch is served! Fiber (veggies + lentils), healthy fats (oil + avocado), veggie nutrient power, and protein (lentils + quinoa). Perfect! This would also be great with a little feta or goat cheese if you want – I just didn’t have any on hand.

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Give it a try yourself this week!

What fun products/ingredients have you tried at the grocery store lately?

- anne
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9 comments
  • Felice @ The Happy Runner
    February 11, 2013 · 9:55AM:
    Looks great! I'm a big fan of that baby kale.
    Reply
  • Desiree February 11, 2013 · 9:59AM:
    I've been loving the TJ's lentils lately as well. Try seasoning them with coriander!
    Reply
  • Lauren
    February 11, 2013 · 10:55AM:
    This looks delicious! I love lentils but rarely make them. Trader Joe's brand is so convenient and they taste amazing! Good luck with the studying lady!
    Reply
  • kim@hungryhealthygirl
    February 11, 2013 · 11:14AM:
    Oh yay....I just bought TJ's lentils this weekend and this will be the perfect way to give them a try!!
    Reply
  • Katie @ Talk Less, Say More
    February 11, 2013 · 11:36AM:
    That looks GREAT! I've just started eating lentils (I don't know what took me so long to try them) but I'm absolutely loving trying new lentil recipes, so I'll have to add this to my list of recipes!
    Reply
  • Danielle @ Truffles n' Treadmills
    February 11, 2013 · 2:50PM:
    I've never tried lentils but all of these yummy recipes make me want to!
    Reply
  • Kate February 11, 2013 · 3:10PM:
    I made a very similar salad for lunch today. I love the TJ's pre-cooked lentils! And their pre-cooked beets (usually right next to the lentils) are great for salads, too.
    Reply
  • Kris S February 11, 2013 · 4:19PM:
    You might be surprised but I also like quinoa on salads, and sometimes make a big batch for the fridge all week as well! I eat green things occasionally, it's crazy :P Hope studying is going well!
    Reply
  • T.G.I.F!!! (the goal is fitness) February 12, 2013 · 7:07PM:
    I'm a huge fan of lentils, too. Looks totallydelish.....thx for the recipe! :-)
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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