Warm Lentil Salad Recipe for High Fiber Diet

Healthy High Fiber Foods Reduce High Cholesterol, Lower Blood Sugar

Nov 15, 2009
Maria Blanco

Warm Red Lentil Salad: High Protein Vegan Meal - Maria Blanco

Lentils are a food high in fiber and a healthy addition to weight-loss programs. They help lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar, and prevent IBS and diverticulosis too.

These tiny legumes are an excellent source of cholesterol reducing dietary fiber – providing 62.6% of the daily recommended intake in just one cup. Their high fiber content also helps to stabilize blood-sugar by preventing blood sugar spikes after meals. This action is helpful to diabetics and the hypoglycemic alike.

Foods High in Dietary Fiber

Obtaining enough soluble and insoluble fiber in the diet is important in maintaining optimum health. Lentils are high in both types of dietary fiber.

Soluble fiber forms a type of gel in the bowel which is able to bind cholesterol-containing bile which can then be eliminated from the body.
Insoluble fiber sweeps the bowel walls clean, prevents constipation and aids in the prevention of intestinal disorders like diverticulosis, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and colon cancer.

Low Calorie Foods, High in Nutrition

Lentils are truly nutritional powerhouses. One cup of cooked lentils has only 230 calories, making them an excellent choice for weight loss and weight management. Yet, in so few calories, lentils pack a lot of nutrition.

Lentils are an excellent source of six important minerals including molybdenum, manganese, iron, phosphorus, copper and potassium. They are also abundant in protein and the B vitamins, Folate and Thiamin. Could any single food be any better? Lentils can. They contain virtually no fat.

Warm Red Lentil Salad

Following is a recipe for a warm red lentil salad that serves eight.

Ingredients:

½ pound red lentils
3 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 cube Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt and Herbs
½ teaspoon dried mint leaves
½ pound fresh mixed spring salad greens
8 fresh lemon or lime wedges

Instructions:

Rinse and sort the lentils.
Place lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, vegetable bouillon and mint in a medium-sized saucepan.
Cover lentils with water by about one inch.
Bring the pot up to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
Stirring occasionally, allow lentils to simmer until tender; approximately 25 minutes. If water level reduces by too much before the lentils become tender, simply add more water and continue to cook a little longer.
When done, drain the lentils of any excess water.
Serve warm on a generous bed of spring greens with fresh squeeze of lemon or lime.

Make this Dish a Complete Protein Meal

Garnish with sunflower seeds, which are rich in methionine, cystine, and isoleucine, to obtain a complete complement of essential amino acids in this meal.

Warm Lentil Salad Nutrition Information

According to a nutritional analysis calculated at NutritionData.com, this recipe scores an "8" on the estimated glycemic index scale.

This healthy salad is:

very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, thiamin, iron and copper.
an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, folate and manganese.