Lentil and Parsley Fertility Salad

Packed with fertility goodness

Ever since I read The Fertility Diet I've been trying to increase the amount of raw food in my diet.  

I dont want to go 100% raw, it seems too extreme and directly contradicts some Traditional Chinese Medicine advice from my acupuncturist, but I figure now the weather is finally warming up I can aspire to making my meals at least 50% raw.

The book also recommended parsley as a good herb for fertility, benefiting the kidneys, liver, adrenals and uterus.  

I'm usually a fan of parsley but the pigeons won the war over the parsley in my garden so I only have a small indoor plant.  

We recently discovered the local mediterranean grocer sells enormous bunches of parsley for only 80p and is a nice 20 minute post-prandial walk through the park away, so I've been experimenting with making parsley salads that aren't tabbouleh to keep things fresh.

Fertility focus

Lentils are a good source of folic acid, full of iron and provide a non-meat form of protein.

Parsley has high levels of vitamin K and both iron and vitamin C (which helps the body absorb iron.

Sunflower seeds are rich in zinc, selenium and vitamin E and essential fatty acids.

Ingredients

• Brown lentils
• Parsley
• Spring onion
• Tomato
• Sunflower seeds

Method

1.  Soak sunflower seeds.

2.  Soak, rinse and drain lentils.  

3.  Simmer lentils in fresh water for about 20 minutes, until cooked.  

4.  Rinse with cold water, drain and allow to cool.

5.  Chop parsley, spring onion and tomato.

6.  Drain and rinse sunflower seeds.

7.  Mix it all together and enjoy!

I served the salad with grilled chicken thigh and courgettes sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

Al Fresco dining