A Favorite Dish to Warm Your Heart: Green Lentil & Beet Salad
Welcome back !
To our kitchen adventures! Today, I'm excited to share a recipe that's not only a feast for the taste buds but also a cherished favorite of mine. This Green Lentil & Beet Salad, with its vibrant colors and rich flavors, is perfect for any meal. Let's dive into the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 ml) green lentils
4 cups (1 liter) rainbow chards or Swiss chard, chopped
500 grams beets, pre-boiled and organic, chopped into small squares
6 tbsp walnuts, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Herbs: basil, dill, mint (to taste)
Seasonings: salt, pepper, 1 tsp chipotle powder, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallot leeks, finely chopped
Instructions:
Prepare the Lentils: If using packaged lentils, rinse them well under running water. Set aside to drain.
Sauté the Base: In a pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot leeks and garlic, sautéing until they are soft and fragrant. Add the walnuts to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Mix the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the rinsed lentils, sautéed shallot leek, garlic, walnuts, and chopped beets. Toss in the chopped rainbow chards or Swiss chard.
Season: Add basil, dill, mint, salt, pepper, chipotle powder, and Italian seasoning to the bowl. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top. Mix well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Serve: This dish can be served on its own or with your preferred meat. We enjoyed ours with leftover ground turkey, which complemented the salad beautifully.
And there you have it—a simple yet deeply satisfying dish that's as nourishing as it is delicious.
Embracing the Zen of Cooking: A Journey to Mindfulness
In the quiet corners of our kitchens, there exists a unique opportunity for mindfulness and presence. Cooking, often seen as just another task on our to-do lists, holds within it the potential for a much deeper experience.
Imagine the rhythmic sound of a knife as it chops through fresh ingredients, the sizzle of a pan as it greets the olive oil, and the vibrant colors of the produce laid out before you. This sensory experience draws you into the now, away from the worries of the day and towards a state of calm.
The kitchen transforms into a space for meditation, where each breath accompanies a stir, and each chop marks a moment in time. Here, cooking becomes not just about feeding the body but nourishing the soul. Let the act of preparing your meal be a meditation, where you're fully engaged with the process, feeling the texture of each ingredient, and appreciating the alchemy of flavors and aromas that you're creating.
Finding Peace in the Process
In the end, cooking offers a sanctuary from the fast pace of modern life, a chance to slow down and to be present. It's a reminder that, in the midst of our busy schedules, there's beauty to be found in the simple acts of chopping, stirring, and tasting. So, the next time you find yourself in the kitchen, take a moment to breathe, to be present, and to truly enjoy the process of creating something nourishing and delicious. Let it be a time of relaxation and joy, a time to decompress and to be at peace with yourself.
How do you find mindfulness in your daily activities? Do you have a ritual that helps you unwind and reconnect with the present moment?
