Ermergerd. Can I confess something? Its really upsetting to me, but I think its time I confess.
I really hate the taste of turmeric!
I'm not joking. This is super devestating. I have been buying fresh turmeric at the farmer's market all summer and repeatedly adding it to recipes...trying desperately to get my tastebuds to budge. Like C'MON GUYS, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY BUDS GET ON BOARD WITH MY DECISION TO LOVE TURMERIC. (haha, get it? Anyone?)
How can I loathe the flavor of such a potent super-food? I am so not a picky eater. And I am a champion at making myself like foods I dislike. I used to hate beets. Now I love. I used to hate sushi. Now I love. I used to hate calamari. Now I love.
When will I love turmeric?!
I suspected this would be a problem. Even dashes of the spice doesn't really make my tastebuds happy, but I persist in using it because it is a potent antioxidant and anti-carcinogen! Anything that helps soothe the inflammation of a hard workout and prevents my forever-sunburned skin from yielding cancer is something I'm going to keep stuffing down my piehole.
The best way to make sure the active agent in turmeric, curcumin, is absorbed and useable by the body is to pair it with black pepper!!! See. Black pepper I totes love. When I was young my mom would only keep cayenne pepper in the house because she thought black pepper was bad for you, and I would always sneak it when we'd go out to eat. What a freak. What little kid sneaks BLACK PEPPER? I should have been sneaking twix bars or airheads or something fun. But, nope, little dietitian-to-be was sneaking black-freakin-pepper behind mama's back.
ANYWAY, I may not love turmeric (TODAY...one day, I will love it), but I did LOVE this awesome summery lentil salad. Its filling, loaded with fiber & protein (legit the two biggest keys to fighting weight gain!), contains amazing nutrients such as iron, vitamin C, and resistant starches. This salad is AS HEALTHY as it is DELICIOUS.
Well, except for the turmeric. But, ya know, ya could omit that 'ish.
Lentil Salad
Recipe Type: Salad, Real Food, Fast, Simple, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Salad, Appetizer, Side Dish
Author: Serena Marie RD
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 50 mins
Serves: 4
Simple, savory and fresh. This lentil salad is perfect for those hot summer days when ya got protein goals but don't want to eat anything that requires stoves/ovens/heat generating appliances!
Ingredients
1 cup dry lentils
1 Tablespoon vinegar or white wine
1 carrot, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
Parsley, chopped
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2" turmeric root, minced
Instructions
1 Cover lentils with water (or homemade bone broth OR Pacific brand broth) and add vinegar or wine. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Check frequently, stir and add more liquid as needed.
2 When done cooking, pour through colander to remove extra water. Place in a large bowl.
3 In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, turmeric, paprika.
4 Add carrots, onions, parsley, tomato to lentils. Mix well.
5 Add olive oil mixture. Mix well.
6 Salt and pepper, as you desire!
7 Refrigerate for an hour before serving
8 OPTIONAL- I mayyyy highly recommend a sprinkle of feta cheese on top!!!!!
Serving size: 1/3 cup