Brimming Summer Salad with Lentil-Parsley Dip

I love to make this easy dip with fresh parsley and heirloom tomatoes, and pile it on top of salads brimming with summer veggies. My favorite combination features cucumbers, pickled peppers, kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, and a simple lemon-olive… — I love to make this easy dip with fresh parsley and heirloom tomatoes, and pile it on top of salads brimming with summer veggies. My favorite combination features cucumbers, pickled peppers, kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. It’s an excellent al fresco lunch or dinner, especially with a side of grilled flatbread. (Photo source: Alec Tilly)

| Yield: 2-4 servings | Time: 40 minutes |

Ingredients

lentil-parsley dip

1 cup red lentils

2 cups water

2 tablespoons harissa paste or tomato paste (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup parsley

1 medium tomato (optional)

dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

salad

1 large head lettuce, or about 4-6 cups mixed lettuces

1 cucumber

other favorite vegetables, such as shredded carrots or beets, tomato, or avocado

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/2 cup pickled peppers

1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Preparation

Prepare the dip. Rinse the lentils and place them in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and partially cover. Cook until the lentils are very tender and the water has mostly evaporated, about 20 minutes. The lentils should basically turn into a paste in its own. Drain any leftover water thoroughly using a fine mesh colander, and transfer the lentils to a bowl.

Mince the garlic very finely, and add it to the lentils along with the olive oil, harissa or tomato paste, salt, and lemon juice. Finely chop the parsley and dice the tomato, and gently fold them in.

In the meantime, rinse the salad veggies thoroughly. Tear apart the lettuce, chop the cucumber, and prepare any other vegetables you are using. Place them in a large bowl.

Place the dressing ingredients into a small bowl or small glass jar, and whisk or shake to combine. Taste and season to your liking — a little more lemon for more acid, maple syrup for sweet, dijon for tang, and salt for, well, salt.

Toss the lettuce and vegetables with the dressing (saving avocado, if using, for topping as it will get mushy if overhandled), using utensils or your hands. Top the salads with the olives, pickled peppers, and toasted seeds. Finally, add a few large dollops of the lentil dip. Use the leftover dip on toast or pita, with crunchy lettuce cups, or on another salad.

Zero waste tips

Save leftover glass containers to use as salad dressing and sauce vessels. Recycle once you have too many.
Put vegetables straight into your shopping bag to avoid plastic, or reuse plastic you already have at home. This is easily done at your local farmers market.
Buy grains, beans, and spices from the bulk section of a grocery store with your own container. You can even do this with olive oils and vinegars at some places. If inaccessible, buy in large bulk containers — this is cheaper in the long run anyway.
Compost whatever scraps you can’t use — yes, you can even do this in a small urban apartment!