Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage & Apple

By barbie24

Calories: 401; Fat: 20g; Protein: 24g; Carbs: 32g; Fiber: 11g; Cholesterol: 53mg; Sodium: 817mg

* Serving size: about 2 1/4 cups

* SUGGESTION: Summertime salad - serve with pickled beets and a lite beer

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 links hot or sweet turkey sausage, casings removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked or canned (rinsed) lentils (see Tip)
• 1 small bulb fennel, finely diced
• 1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, finely diced
• 6 cups arugula or mescalin greens

Preparation

Step 1

1. Whisk 3 tablespoons oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, stirring often and breaking up, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds more. Stir in lentils and heat through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 5 tablespoons of the dressing and remove from the heat. Stir in fennel, apple and celery.

3. Toss greens with the remaining dressing. Serve with the warm lentil mixture on top.

* TIP: To cook lentils, place in a saucepan, cover with at least 1 inch of water, bring to a simmer and cook until just tender, 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentil. Drain and rinse with cold water.

1 cup dry lentils = about 2 1/2 cups cooked. Or use canned lentils: 15-ounce can = 1 1/2 cups. Rinse canned lentils before cooking with them to reduce the sodium by about 35%