If you don't know what to have for dinner tonight ...

This easy to prepare Mediterranean-style recipe makes a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner.

Prep and Cook Time: Prep: 20 min; Cooking: 25 min; Chill: 1 hr

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup dried green lentils, (you want to end up with 2 cups cooked)
• 2 cups water
• 3oz canned/jar roasted bell peppers (or you can roast yourself), chopped
• 2 TBS finely minced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• * optional 1 bunch young dandelion leaves or arugula, chopped
• salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash lentils, remove any foreign matter, and drain.
2. Combine lentils, 2 cups lightly salted water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook at low temperature for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are cooked but still firm. Cook gently so lentils don't get mushy. When done, drain any excess water, and lightly rinse under cold water. Continue to drain excess water.
3. Mince onion and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health-promoting benefits.
4. Place lentils in a bowl and add peppers, onion, garlic, basil, walnuts, vinegar and 2 TBS olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Marinate for at least 1 hour before serving.
5. Toss dandelion or argula with 2 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve on plate with lentils.

Serves 4

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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Daily Food Tip

Is the nutritional value of protein lost through cooking and storing of food just as vitamins are lost?

Proteins are not lost during cooking as easily as vitamins; however overcooking and cooking at extremely high temperatures will denature proteins found in food. When cooked or agitated (as occurs when egg whites are beaten), proteins undergo physical changes called denaturation and coagulation. Denaturation changes the shape of the protein, thereby decreasing the solubility of the protein molecule. Coagulation causes protein molecules to clump together, as occurs when making scrambled eggs. Overcooking foods containing protein can destroy heat-sensitive amino acids (for example, lysine) or make the protein resistant to digestive enzymes. Refrigerating cooked foods will not further denature the proteins.