* 3/4 cup black or green lentils
* 6 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into bite size (about 2 lb)
* 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp kosher salt
* 4 cups baby arugula
* 1 cup goat cheese, crumbles, divided
* 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
* 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
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1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put squash in large bowl with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and kosher salt, and toss together until coated well.
3. Dump onto a large baking sheet and mix around until in a single layer, then put in preheated oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes; stir and flip pieces then cook another 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned and tender. Remove and allow to cool at room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, put lentils in a small bowl and soak for 10 minutes; drain, and put in large saucepan, cover with fresh water, add a dash of salt, and bring water to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook lentils until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain in colander, rinse with cold water, and allow to drain completely and cool.
5. When ready to assemble salad, put cooked squash and cooked lentils in a large salad bowl, drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over and toss; then add the arugula, half of the goat cheese, mint, and vinegar, season to taste with more salt and pepper, then toss.
6. Serve on cold salad plates and divide remaining goat cheese among each serving. Will make 2 to 4 salad servings.
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This may seem like a 'busy' salad to make, so what I do to make it easier is prepare lentils ahead of time and just keep them in the refrigerator.
It really is worth the work, though. I serve this salad as a main dish because it is so filling. Of course, the lentils satisfy the need for protein, so you've got yourself a full-meal-deal. Enjoy!
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