Beetroot, Tomato and Lentil Salad

Although I started working on eating the freezer and our cupboards bare some months ago, we still seem to have lots of random store-cupboard and spice items to use up before we move, so I need to get better at incorporating these into my meals.

It seems the weather in London outdid itself in sun and heat while we were in Jersey on holiday.  

I thought I had cancelled the veg box due on the morning we returned, but it was sitting under a bush outside our door when we got in that evening.  The contents were a bit wilted but otherwise fine for having sat in sunlight all day. 

I normally elect to skip items we don't eat or already have a lot of.  But because I thought I'd cancelled the box, I didn't check what would be in it.  I ended up with rather more limp lettuce than I prefer.

The sun also put an end to the usually robust mint in my garden.

Without its usual London rain careful watering, my mint plant had yellowed considerably in the five days we were away.  I pruned it severely in the hope it will come back (it is almost impossible to kill mint) and picked off the tiny new buds at the top of each stem as they were the only edible bits left.

Fertility Focus

Beetroot is full of iron and folate
Quinoa is a plant based form of protein, and contains all nine of the essential amino acids needed for cell renewal.
Lentils are a good source of folic acid, full of iron and provide a non-meat form of protein
Tomatoes are full of the antioxidant lycopene which boosts sperm health and also contain folate, B6, vitamin A and vitamin E
Sunflower seeds are full of B vitamins, vitamin E and zinc

Ingredients

• French lentils, soaked, boiled and cooled
• Tomatoes, chopped
• Pickled beetroot, drained and chopped.
• Cooked quinoa
• Sunflower seeds
• Onion, finely chopped
• Mint

Method

1.  Mix together equal quantities of lentils, tomatoes and beetroot.  

2.  Toss in cooked quinoa, sunflower seeds, finely chopped onion and mint to taste. 

3.  Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar over a bed of shredded lettuce.