Winter Lentil Salad with Tahini-Ginger Dressing

Greetings from 2015! Sorry for my abrupt disappearing act — my last week before leaving for India was a blur of holiday parties and Seamless dinners, which left zero time for cooking (or packing, which eventually proved problematic).

But I’m back! And before I get into my India adventures, let’s talk resolutions. This year, I decided to forego the “lose 10 pounds” mandate that, in previous years, has driven me to weird detox programs and complicated diets and crazy workout schedules at the gym.

Instead, I’m focusing on eating well. That means fruits and vegetables when they’re at their freshest and most delicious (ie. during their growing season). It means eating only the best-quality meat and fish — the wild-caught or pasture-raised or grass-fed good stuff — though it will also mean eating meat or fish less often because hello, limited budget. It also means when I’m craving a burger, going out and getting a really well-made burger, rather than denying myself for days and then binging on lame fast food.

But mostly it means cooking at home, making meals that happen to be healthy and filling but are mostly just delicious. This winter lentil salad fits that bill. On its own, lentils + roasted butternut squash + chickpeas is a pretty solid foundation for success. But the tahini-ginger dressing really makes the whole thing, the creamy tahini balancing the sharp trio of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and fresh ginger. It’s reminiscent of one of my favorite cold-weather salads, this warm butternut squash number, but the lentils add a bit of bulk, much needed during these cold, cold times.

Winter Lentil Salad with Tahini-Ginger Dressing
Adapted from Fettle Vegan

For the lentil salad:

– 1 cup lentils

– 2 cups water

– 1 clove garlic

– 2 small bay leaves

– 1 20-ounce package butternut squash cubes, cut into 1-inch pieces

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– 1 teaspoon cumin

– 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

– salt and pepper, to taste

– 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

– 4 ounces ricotta salata or feta (optional)

For the dressing:

– 3 tablespoons olive oil

– 3 tablespoons tahini

– 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

– 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

– 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1/4 teaspoon pepper

– 2 tablespoons honey

– 1 small clove of garlic, chopped

1) Make the lentils: Place the lentils and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the garlic clove and bay leaves, then turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

2) While the lentils are cooking, roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Toss the butternut squash cubes with the olive oil, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, then spread the cubes out on the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway.

3) Make the dressing: blend all of the dressing ingredients until the dressing is well-combined.

4) In a large bowl, combine the lentils, squash and chickpeas. Stir in the dressing and toss until coated. Top with the ricotta salata (if using) and serve.