While I was England, we had many barbecues, so as to easily feed all of the people who came to visit.  A fresh salad is the perfect side during a summer cookout- refreshing, light, and complementary to burgers.  Why spend $5 on a small plastic tub of salad when you can get a better deal by making it yourself?  Try this simple recipe at your next summer barbecue or anytime of the year as a healthy snack.  Enjoy!

Prep time: 1 minute

Cook time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 c/250 g edamame beans
• 1 c/250 g red lentils (dry)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 fresh lemon slices
• pinch of fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

Wash the lentils, then pour into a medium saucepan.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to a rapid simmer.  Reduce heat, and let simmer for 25 minutes (until lentils are tender).  In a separate pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add edamame beans and cook until tender.  When lentils and edamame are cooked, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, mix with diced peppers, onions, and cilantro in a bowl.  Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil over the mixture, then top with fresh squeezed lemon.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Lightly mix and it is ready to serve.  Add extra cilantro on top for an aesthetically pleasing dish.

Yields 2 servings