Lentil Caprese Salad

A lentil salad with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. It's great as a side or a light lunch.

I got the idea for this salad from Pinterest.  The recipe I saw was for a Caprese Pasta Salad from Simply Scratch.  It looked amazing and she used little mini mozzarella pearls and orecchiette pasta.  I wanted more fiber in my salad so I decided to try using lentils and I didn't have the mozzarella pearls but I always have string cheese in the fridge so I used that instead.  I loved the salad I stored it in the fridge and had it for lunch all week.  It looks the best when it's freshly made as the basil wilts over time but it still tastes great.

My pictures are of the salad after it sat in the fridge for a day.  The basil is not as vibrant green as it started but I made this on a rainy day so I had very little natural light in my apartment.  I don't have any fancy photo lights just some lamps and overhead lights that don't look good in pictures so I waited and took my pictures the next day when I had sunlight.

Lentil Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils
1 1/2 - 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup fresh basil, cut julienne
2-3 mozzarella string cheeses, sliced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse lentils and pick through to remove any rocks or debris.  Bring lentils to a simmer, in a saucepan, with 2 cups of water or broth (you can add a clove of garlic to the water if you like).  Let simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until soft.  Drain lentils and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare all of your other ingredients and then just toss everything together.  Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes 6 servings.

A little pesto would taste great tossed into this salad.

Enjoy as a side dish or a light lunch.

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Pesto Pasta

A simple and quick pasta dish made with an easy basil pesto sauce.

Updated:  3/20/16 new pics, pin-able image, minor editing, tweet-ables, similar recipes links

Pesto is traditionally made with basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil.  The combination of those simple flavors makes an amazing sauce.  It's a great addition to just about everything from pasta and pizzas to sandwiches and soups.  A little pesto adds big flavor.

A little #pesto adds big flavor | Pesto Pasta  [Tweet this]

Often I find that store-bought pesto sauce can be kind of expensive.  It's so simple to make and so delicious fresh that it's worth the time and effort to make your own.  Sometimes, it can be difficult to find fresh basil and pine nuts at smaller grocery stores and they can be pricey.  The great news is you can make a pesto sauce with any green herb or vegetable and any nut.  The flavor will be different, obviously, but it will still be fresh and delicious.  The trick is to use green herbs or vegetables with a strong flavor that you enjoy such as arugula, kale, parsley, chives, garlic scapes; I've even seen a recipe for broccoli pesto.  Just use what you have and be creative.

Pesto is very versatile | Pesto Pasta  [Tweet this]

For this pesto, I used basil and a little parsley.  I grow both in small pots out on my lanai and as long as I keep them watered they grow well year round (they make great indoor plants too if you live in a cold climate).  I didn't have quite enough basil for a full recipe of pesto so I added the parsley.  I didn't have pine nuts on hand but I always have pecans so I used those.  They don't add the flavor that pine nuts do but they add a very nice mild nutty flavor.  Parmesan is always a staple in my kitchen, and the same goes for garlic and olive oil.  Since I had everything on hand, the pesto whipped up in no time (thanks to my food processor), was incredibly fresh, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious.

Pesto Pasta is a quick, fresh, and tasty meal.  [Tweet this]

Basil and Parsley Pesto

Cook and prep time:  15 minutes
Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

2 cups basil and parsley, chopped and packed in any combination
2-3 cloves garlic
1 handful pecans
1/4 cup parmesan
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil

Place all of the ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl of a food processor.  With the chopping blade, pulse until the ingredients are well chopped and mixed.  Wipe down the sides with a spatula.

Then, turn the processor on and slowly stream in the olive oil until everything is well mixed and creamy.

Remove the pesto to a small covered bowl and let rest for at least 1 hour for the flavors to meld.  I've kept fresh pesto in the fridge for up to a week and even frozen it with fine results.  Allow the pesto to come to room temperature before tossing it with warm pasta.

Top with fresh cracked pepper and parmesan.

Pesto is great tossed with pasta but it's also great as a spread on sandwiches, pizza, or garlic bread. Try it in salad dressings and soups. Pesto adds a big punch of flavor to any recipe.

Enjoy.

For more recipes to use pesto in or with check out:

Gnocchi           -

Green Lasagna       -

Turkey & Rougette Crescent Sandwiches

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