Low Carb Experimentation - Lentil Salad with Ham,

I am currently on a low-carb/no carb diet in order to get ready for two very different beach vacations this summer.  Some things about taking up eating in a South Beach Diet Phase 1 friendly way (boy, that's a mouthful) are easy, and some things are hard: no white wine, no crunchy snacks.  I stocked up at our local Trader Joe's market on some basic components for cooking in this manner: canned beans, nuts, pre-cooked lentils, sausage, and lots of eggs.

I have lots of ideas in mind, and I've acted on two of those thus far.  One was a total throw together, using leftover chicken, a jar of Panang curry sauce, a can of chick peas, and some roasted veggies (diced carrots, butternut squash, and onions).  This actually tastes very good and made enough for 2-3 meals for one.

The other inspiration is what I fixed for lunch today -- a simple lentil salad. According to the Perfect Pantry's post on lentils,  lentils are a good source of inexpensive protein.  There are different varieties of lentils available, but French green lentils are the one most commonly used for salads since they hold their shape well.  See The Cook's Thesaurus for more information.

Lentil Salad with Ham

Ingredients:

1 17.6 oz. package of refrigerated Steamed Lentils, about 2 1/2 cups (available at Trader Joe's) ** 

1 cup diced cooked ham

1/4 cup diced pickled carrots (I used Tillen Farms brand)

1/4 cup diced fennel

1/3 cup diced celery

2 tbs. minced parsley

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbs. good quality vinegar (I used a cider vinegar with pear)

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Combine lentils, ham, carrots, fennel, celery and parsley in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Pour dressing over lentil mixture, stirring well to combine.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning.

** If you'd prefer to cook lentils on your own, here are some instructions.  Bring 3 cups of water and one teaspoon of salt to a boil.  Add 1 cup of lentils, cover and return to a boil.  Adjust temperature to maintain a slow simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until lentils are fully cooked but not mushy.  Drain and proceed with remainder of recipe.

Serves 4-6, depending on portion size