Vegetarian Summer Series #3: Raw Curried Sprouted Lentil-Collard Greens Salad

Can't escape the heat and humidity (relatively speaking...I know we San Diegans are fickle)! Our half of the building at work is stuffy and the other side has the girls bundled up in sweaters. Then I go off to 80 degree yoga in the evenings.  I can try to do less stuff on the stove while in the kitchen at least...

I've been making a lot of veggie sandwiches this week with avocado, cucumber, sprouts, mustard and sundried tomato--and sometimes hard boiled egg. I tried out Glutino brand bread...which while tasty, sadly does not hold together (exhibit A) unless toasted  (exhibit B).

                                                EXHIBIT A:  Not a good lunch to take out.

                                                      EXHIBIT B: Solid grip! Much better!



Taste-test Summer adaptation. Try swapping dill for basil and swiss chard for spinach in a pesto recipe...pairs nicely with a white fish or I imagine awesome with chopped hard boiled eggs!

Now onto the real recipes. Two posts in a row from Rawmazing website recipes (cucumber cumin dressing over melon and beans salad last week)! Great to try raw recipes when it just feels too sticky to use the stove for much more than 10 minutes-this recipe I stuck pretty close to the original ingredients and steps and didn't even steam the veggies like last week.  This was supposed to debut at a yoga vegetarian potluck this week, but it just didn't work out to get enough people together. Ah well, more for me!

This did take some pre-planning, if you want to try your hand at sprouting your own lentils. You can also buy them this way-try health food stores or if you're in San Diego, hit up Suzie's stand at a farmer's market or the farm itself! I enjoy the slight crunch that the lentils have.

RAW CURRIED SPROUTED LENTIL-COLLARD GREENS SALAD

INGREDIENTS-only slightly modified from the original recipe at Rawmazing, using a different sprouting technique, dried coconut and changing from kale to collard greens.

• 1 cup red lentils, sprouted

• 1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut since I didn't have fresh coconut flesh
• 1/2 cup coconut water from young thai coconut (I used canned coconut juice-saved the rest to drink as a natural electrolytes replenisher)
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Aminos (or coconut aminos for soy free)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet yellow curry powder
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar or sweetener of choice*
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Himalayan Salt to taste

• 1 bunch of collard greens leaves (after rinsing and chopping it probably made about 6 cups) or any other leafy green--save the stems for another use
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• squeeze of lemon juice
• pinch Himalayan Salt 
• pepper
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews 

INSTRUCTIONS-modified sprouting method

 1. About 2 days before you want to make the salad, rinse and then soak the lentils over night. Drain the water. Place the lentils in a cheese cloth or tea towel and tie the ends together (rubber band or clip) and hang over the sink to drip for half an hour. Put the towel and lentils in a covered pot to sit at room temperature 1-2 days until the sprouts form.

Waggy happy lil' lentil tails. ARF!

2. Prepare the leafy greens by massaging it in a large bowl with the  1 tbsp olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, and pinch of salt. Let this mixture sit awhile to soften the leaves.

My roommate owns the mixing bowls and they are packed...hence using a soup pot!

3. While your leaves "cook", prepare the curry sauce. Grab the blender or food processor and add the liquids first : coconut water, garlic, lemon juice, Braggs liquid amino and olive oil. Then add the dry ingredients: shredded coconut, curry powder, sugar and salt. (Your blender will have an easier time if you do liquids near the blade) Blend until uniformly mixed. My mixture clumped up into a paste.

The coconut smells SO good.

4. Add the curry sauce and lentils to the greens, and mix to incorporate the sauce. Add the chopped cashews and tomatoes, mixing gently. Add pepper to taste.

I'll be enjoying this salad before the fireworks begin! Have a happy fourth everyone!


What's on your Fourth menu or what's your favorite no-cook recipe?