Sometimes people ask me to name a favorite salad, it is sort of a difficult question to answer — there are so many! The choice depends on my frame of mind and the situation i’m in. But being a Lebanese, obviously, the  salads that jump to mind first are tabbouleh and fattoush. Indeed, you can’t go wrong with these two salads! But it turned out that both salads aren’t the only candidates that circulate now a days in our fall dinner rotation.  “Autumn Salad with Lentil, Pomegranate, Apple and Beetroot ” is our new favorite, it gets its texture and tart-sweet flavor from fresh pomegranate seeds, apples, beetroots, lentils and a tangy beetroot dressing that nestle nicely together with all the ingredients — it might become your new favorite salad.

Autumn Salad with Lentil, Pomegranate, Apple and Beetroot

“Autumn Salad with Lentil, Pomegranate, Apple and Beetroot ” is an enticing fall salad that gets texture and tart-sweet flavor from fresh pomegranate seeds and a zippy beetroot-tahini dressing that work beautifully with lentils. A wholesome protein-packed salad that is simple to make and so refreshing with a smart combination of umami-packed flavors and lots of crunch— just the way I like it.

The Healthy Dressing:

A salad is a creative play area with endless combinations of flavors and textures. And one of most defining characteristics in any salad is its dressing, and here the formula features, beetroot, apple cider vinegar, tahini and honey, yes packed with tang, sweetness and umami goodness. The dark crimson juices coming from beetroots overtake the color of the dressing, and it’s a bit dense. If you like mayonnaise, but it’s is a no-go, for any reason, in your household, you will love this dressing for a similar but healthier approach — pairs well with a wide range of salads and brings brightness to your table.

Tips and Tricks

• Unlike other pulses, lentils don’t require soaking and they are super easy to cook.
• Lentils absorb the dressing smartly, but then you want them to get back to room temperature before tossing the other ingredients, it’s a good idea to cook them in advance, and keep them until you are ready to serve the salad.
• Don’t overcook the lentils so they don’t get mushy when mixed together with the dressing and other ingredients. Brown lentils are my favorite here in this salad, they usually take 20 minutes to cook. Pay lentils (French lentils) can be used as well, but then you need to prolong the cooking time to 40 minutes.
• For more dramatic flavor, caramelize the pecans, but if you want to keep it healthy, just toast them, they are still tasty.
• The beetroot dressing is insanely delicious with a bright, earthy and tangy flavor, yet so healthy and nutritious, I mean take a look at the ingredients: Beetroots, tahini , olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lentil broth and honey.
• Learn how to make the umami packed beetroot dressing, and keep it in your repertoire, it goes well with a variety of salads.
• The dressing can be prepared 1 day ahead. The lentils and beetroots can be cooked, separately, up to 2 days ahead so it’s ready in the fridge. Otherwise, the ingredients should be cut up and served within a couple of hours, or the apples will brown.
• Compose this salad on a wide platter, and spoon with dressing just right before serving, to keep it neat and eye catching.
•  This is a filling salad, due to the presence of lentils that are high in protein, fiber and iron, but it still feels unheavy to serve it as a light lunch or dinner.
• It pairs beautifully with grilled or baked chicken or fish.

Ingredients needed:

• Pomegranates
• Beetroots
• Apples
• Arugula
• Pecans
• Butter and Sugar for the candied pecans
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Tahini
• Salt
• Honey

Check these enticing fall salad recipes, you will want to eat all season long!

• Beet and Arugula Salad
• Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Spinach, pomegranate and pumpkin seeds
• Couscous Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Fried Dates
• Antioxidant Veggie and Fruity Nut Salad

If you think lentils are boring in salads, wait until you try this “Autumn Salad with Lentil, Pomegranate, Apple and Beetroot “; it tastes divine and makes me feel good. Alongside lentils, the salad showcases fall’s freshest ingredients, bright, colorful, beautiful, satisfying and quality, a composed salad brimming with flavor and crunch, and the dressing is the bomb!

Ingredients

• 2 large apples
• 2 medium beetroots
• 1 Large pomegranate
• 3/4 cup brown lentils
• 250 grams baby Romain lettuce, I like to use baby Romain lettuce because they are tender and sweet, but you can use your favorite leafy green
• A handful of pecans, optional
• 3 cups water, to boil the lentils
• Water to boil the beetroots
• Lemon juice, to add to apples to keep their color
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, to toast the pecans

Dressing:

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons of lentil broth (saved from the lentils you boiled)
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium beetroot

Directions:

1. Place the beetroots in a large saucepan, and pour enough water to cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover up, letting it simmer for 1 hour. Drain and set aside to cool down. Peel the three and save one for the dressing.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the lentils and water. Bring to a boil over, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft, but still slightly firm.  Drain and leave to completely cool down; save 2 tablespoons of the lentil broth.
3. To make the beetroot dressing: Combine together in a bowl 1 beetroot, apple cider vinegar, tahini, olive oil, honey and the 2 tablespoons of the lentil broth we saved. Using an immersion blender, press the button and blend the dressing until smooth and creamy. If it is to thick you can thin it with more lentil broth, but is meant to be a bit dense. Adjust salt to your taste preference.
4. De-seed the pomegranate, cut the apples in half (no need to peel), core and cut into thin halfmoon slices. Cut the beetroot to medium sized chunks.
5. Add lemon juice to the apple slices to avoid discoloration.
6. Toast the pecan in the oven, (if used). Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line an oven sheet with parchment paper, add the pecans in a single layer, toss with olive oil and salt, and toast until fragrant and browned, stirring frequently. It takes about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to completely cool down.
7. To assemble the salad: Put the baby Romain lettuce around a large shallow bowl, arrange the cooked lentils around the lettuce, add the pomegranate and apple slices in the same circular pattern; in the middle scatter the beetroot chunks and toasted pecan (if used). Just before serving, shake the dressing one more time and drizzle evenly over the salad. Sublime!

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If you make the " Autumn Salad withLentil, Pomegranate, Apple and Beetroot ", leave a comment below, or share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine