This Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Spelt and Lentils will make you forget you're eating something nutritious. It's a healthy salad recipe made with sweet strawberries, pre-packed spelt and lentils, then topped with almonds, feta cheese and delicious homemade dressing for a complete and delicious meal. Ready in under 10 minutes!
Why This Healthy Salad is So Easy
Stop right there! I know what you're thinking. You've read the title of this post and thought...it's such a pain to make rice, not to mention lentils, so forget this!
But guess what?! You won't have to go crazy thanks to those amazing little rice packets that you simply pop in the microwave for 90 seconds and you are DONE!
Those pre-cooked grain and lentils packets are a total game changer when it comes to throwing together quick and healthy vegetarian meals. Do you know the ones I'm talking about? You can find them right in the rice section of most supermarkets. Whole Foods 365 ° makes a delicious brown rice, spelt and lentil packet that I used for this recipe. It's so easy that I often use them when I want something quick for lunch. If you can't find spelt and lentils together, you can use any pre-cooked whole grain (quinoa, brown rice) or lentil combination you can find.
It's June so obviously I'm obsessed with STRAWBERRIES! They're tasting so delicious and sweet right now I've been adding them to just about everything like oatmeal, muffins and of course in my salads!
Putting It Together
For this salad I used spinach, but I imagine it would taste delicious with any type of salad green. I tossed the spinach and strawberries with the warm rice, spelt and lentil mixture. Then topped it with some feta, almonds and a delicious, mustardy, honey-cider dressing.
What I love about this salad is that not only is it easy to make and so summery, but it's packed with such nutritional goodness. I think you guys are going to love it!
Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Spelt, Lentils and Brown Rice
Ingredients
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 10 strawberries cut in half or quartered
- 8 oz packet spelt and lentils
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2 oz crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rice packet according to instructions and let cool slightly.
- In a bowl add in the spinach, strawberries, rice/lentils and almonds.
- Whisk together the cider, mustard, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil in a separate small bowl.
- Pour dressing over top and toss to combine.
- Top with feta cheese.
Nutrition
I prefer to focus on quality ingredients from a variety of sources that work in tandem to promote optimal health. Nutrition calculations may not reflect these valuable interactions. However, I understand certain values can be helpful to some. Please note these calculations are merely estimates. Values will vary depending on modifications, brands used, and portion size. Should you require specific information, it's best to consult with a dietitian or qualified healthcare provider.
Leave a Reply