We love a good healthy meal. But we don’t want it at the expense of taste. We all want to eat healthy without feeling like we’re depriving ourselves; we tend to skip salads because, let’s be honest, those leafy greens don’t give the hearty taste most meals do. But actually, salads don’t have to contain all-leafy greens! Enter Jean-Philippe Cyr’s (The Buddhist Chef himself) warm lentil and sweet potato salad recipe. The sweet potatoes lend a little sweetness (duh!), and the lentils bring along their own specialty: protein. Added with the dressing, and you’re left feeling full, satisfied, and energized.
Warm Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad Recipe
What You’ll Need:
2 sweet potatoes (1 lb / 500 g)
4 tablespoons (60 mL) olive oil, divided
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
3 cups (75 g) arugula
1 (14 oz / 398 mL) can green lentils, rinsed and drained
What To Do:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a baking sheet with oil.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, then transfer to a bowl.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Spread the seasoned sweet potato cubes on the prepared sheet, then bake for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and browned in spots.
Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and whole-grain mustard.
Add the arugula, lentils, and roasted sweet potatoes.
Toss to combine, and serve.
Enjoy!
xo
(Excerpted from The Buddhist Chef’s Vegan Comfort Cooking by Jean-Philippe Cyr. Copyright © 2021 Jean-Philippe Cyr. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved)