Lentil Tabbouleh

Traditionally, tabbouleh is made with lots of parsley and some mint. It's pretty easy to switch those up for just about any fresh, green, leafy herb. Try cilantro or even basil. This recipe kept the parsley, but added a bit of oregano and thyme. To round it all out,  red wine vinegar and lemon juice, minced fresh garlic, chopped celery, toasted almonds, chopped olives, and red bell pepper was added.
To finish it off, you'll want to add a drizzle of really good extra-virgin olive oil. Because it's a simple salad, the quality of the olive oil is important.

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LENTIL TABBOULEH
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 12

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Ingredients:
2 cups dry green or French lentils
Salt
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

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Directions:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes.
Use a mesh strainer to drain the lentils, then spread them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the parsley, thyme, oregano, garlic, celery, olives and red pepper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over the herbs and vegetables, then mix thoroughly. Once the lentils have cooled (they don't need to be chilled, just no longer hot), add to the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the almonds over the top.
Nutrition information per serving: 180 calories; 45 calories from fat (25 percent of total calories); 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 11 g protein; 160 mg sodium.