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Lentil, Quinoa & Orzo Salad
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Lentil, Quinoa, and Orzo Salad

This salad is a meal! 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Author: Terri @ that's some good cookin'

Ingredients

Salad

  • 6 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup uncooked French green lentils, rinsed rinsed
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup orzo pasta
  • 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 2 small European cucumbers, unpeeled and diced
  • 1 small red, yellow, or orange, small diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loose packed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, not olive oil--the flavor is too strong
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • salt, to taste

Instructions

For the Salad:

  • In a 3 quart pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the quinoa and french green lentils. Cook for ten minutes, then add the orzo. Stir well, then cook for another 15 minutes until the orzo is al dente. Do not over-cook. The lentils will be slightly firm, which is perfect for this salad.
  • Pour into a fine mesh strainer and rinse gently under cool water. Drain well.
  • Put the quinoa, lentils, and orzo in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, cilantro, and parsley and mix lightly.

For the dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, fresh lemon juice, vegetable oil, cumin, and cinnamon. Pour over salad and toss well. Taste and adjust for flavoring with salt.
  • Cover salad and refrigerate for at least one hour, longer is better. Can be stored for two days under refrigeration.