Cauliflower Salad with Dandelion Greens
Dandelion greens are high in vitamins A, C, K, potassium, and antioxidants. They are said to help fight inflammation, promote liver health, could help lower blood pressure, and may even help control blood sugar. While all of those potential benefits are good reasons to include them in your diet, the real reason to try them is that if you like a bitter green, these really fit the bill.
- 2/3 cup dried lentils
- 1 small cauliflower, cored and cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced small (pea-sized)
- ½ cup diced roasted red peppers
- 1 bunch dandelion greens, chopped
Tarragon Dijon Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tb grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 Tb dried tarragon
- 1 clove crushed garlic
To prepare the lentils, pick through them and remove any bits of grain or small rocks that may be in them. Rinse them well to remove any dust or dirt. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add the lentils, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. If you like, you can boost the flavor of your lentils by adding a bay leaf and a peeled clove of garlic at the beginning of the cooking; just remove them when they are done. Drain and rinse under cold water.
While the lentils are cooking, blanche the cauliflower and carrot in lightly salted boiling water for two minutes until just barely tender, drain well, and rinse under cold water.
Prepare the salad dressing and set aside.
Whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients together with a small whisk or a fork.
In a large salad bowl, toss all of the vegetables and the lentils with the salad dressing. This salad keeps well overnight so it can certainly be made ahead of time.
