Lemon Lentil Salad

With summer approaching quickly, it's time to talk salads. Whether you are looking to make them the main course or have them play a supporting role to your picnic and backyard BBQ spreads, a good salad is nearly always present once the growing and grilling seasons are underway. So this week, we're looking at a few of my favorites. This time around, we're embracing the excellence of including lentils in salads.

This sensational salad boasts lentils, sun dried tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs, green onion, and a homemade dressing that's easy to make. If you don't have sun dried tomatoes, you can substitute chopped fresh tomatoes, but your salad will be a bit wetter and you might wish to use less of the dressing to keep it from getting soggy. I used cilantro in my version, but just about any fresh herb(s) will do. Flat leaf parsley and basil are a nice combination if you have them. Chopped red onion can be substituted for the green onions as well. If you don't have maple syrup, you can use honey in the dressing though you might wish to microwave it a bit to make mixing the dressing a bit easier.

I love making a double or triple batch of this salad so I can have it as a side for any number of meals plus have more on hand to enjoy as a light lunch alongside a sandwich or just served with a savory muffin. It's so fresh and versatile and tends to last well under refrigeration for up to a week, so make it and enjoy it again and again and again!