French Lentil Salad with Artichokes, Baby Heirlooms and Fennel

This hearty salad stands on it's own as a full meal to fill you up without the guilt. If you can't find french lentils, substitute with green or brown varieties, as they will stay slightly firmer than the yellow/red kind that become mushy. Serve hot or at room temperature and make extra for lunch the next day. Overnight the lentils suck up all the great flavors and the salad is just as good if not better.

Nutty french lentils tossed with caramelized fennel, onions, artichokes, bright baby heirloom tomatoes, garlic chips and fresh herbs. Seasoned simply with salt, pepper and balsamic, you don't need anything else to approve the flavor with, it's already there.

French Lentil Salad
1 1/2 cup dried french lentils
1 bay leaf
4 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup medium diced white onion
1 large fennel bulb, cored, medium dice
1 celery stalk
salt and pepper
1 tbl fresh thyme leaves
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
juice from one lemon, divided
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tbl fresh parsley, divided
4oz artichoke hearts in oil, drained, roughly chopped
1 cup halved baby heirloom tomatoes
2 scallions, roughly chopped

Combine the lentils and bay leaf in a pot and fill with water, covering the beans by at least three inches. Do not salt until the lentils are done cooking, or they will get very tough!
Simmer for about 20-25 minutes until tender then drain and discard the bay leaf.
While the lentils are cooking, saute the onion, fennel, celery, salt and pepper in a large pan with 2 tbl of oil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes until the fennel starts to soften and all the vegetables start to brown and caramelize. Add the thyme leaves and deglaze the bottom of the pan with vinegar. Add juice from 1/2 a lemon, garlic, 2 tbl parsley and artichokes and cook 7 minutes more. Turn off the heat and toss in the remaining parsley, 2 tbl of oil, tomatoes, juice of 1/2 lemon and scallions. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if preferable.

Oat Chickpea Dumplings with Spring Garlic Puree, Herb Salad

Quick, healthy chickpea dumplings filled with fresh cilantro, spices and old fashioned oats. Serve with an incredibly flavorful dipping sauce of spring garlic and fennel.

Oat Chickpea Dumplings
6 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small white onion, small dice
2-15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

Saute the onion in 2 tbl oil until soft and fragrant, 5 minutes. Transfer the onions to the food processor along with all of the remaining ingredients minus the oats. Pulse to a coarse consistency. Taste and season. Stir in the oats and form into balls or small patties. Pan fry in remaining oil until golden brown, 6-10 minutes.

Spring Garlic Puree
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large fennel bulb, cored, small dice
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 sea salt
2 tbl coconut milk
2 tbl unsweetened almond milk

Saute the fennel, onions and salt in the oil over medium heat until soft but not browned, 7 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer until just evaporated, 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and blend with the almond milk until smooth. Taste and season.

Herb Salad
8oz baby spring mixed greens
3 tbl fresh chopped cilantro
2 tbl fresh chopped parsley
1 tbl fresh chopped dill
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

Combine the greens and herbs in a bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Dress salad.