Marinated Sweet Cherries with Green Lentils and Spinach
Marinated Sweet Cherries with Green Lentils and Spinach
A quick, nutritious and vegetarian cherry-themed dish!
Ingredients
Lentils:
1/2 cup small green lentils
1 cup vegetable broth (from bouillon cube or paste)
1-2 cloves garlic, split into two
Cherries:
1 green onion: white part minced, greens chopped for garnish
1 Tbsp your favourite vinegar (red/white wine, cider, rice)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp your favourite mustard (Dijon, grainy, yellow)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar
1 cup washed, pitted, quartered BC Tree Fruits cherries
Spinach:
2-4 cups fresh spinach, cleaned and dried.
Directions
Cook the lentils first. Sort/rinse lentils. Cover with broth, add garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-45 minutes until tender but not falling apart.
Marinate the Cherries with the green onion, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, sugar and cherries. Strain the vinaigrette from the cherries and toss it into the hot, drained lentils.
Arrange the lentils over the spinach on a platter or on individual serving dishes. The heat will wilt the spinach just a bit. Top with marinated cherries, garnish with chopped green onion tops. Makes 2 large portions; recipe can be doubled.
