For a taste of spring, try the tasty ingredients in these recipes for salads mildly sparked with green pepper sauce.
The salads are light enough to serve as side dishes for a meat-and-potatoes meal. But they are also filling enough for a tasty lunch with a cup of soup, whole-grain bread, and crackers or chips.
Lentils are a favorite vegetarian ingredient with robust nutritional value, but this green lentil salad has its own refreshing tang, brightened with a touch of lemon juice and herbs.
Pick over lentils, discarding any stones; rinse well in strainer. Bring lentils and chicken broth to boil over high heat in 2-quart saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain if necessary.
Meanwhile, saute celery, carrots and red onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Gently toss warm lentils with sauteed vegetables, green pepper sauce, lemon juice, thyme, cherry tomatoes and remaining olive oil; toss to mix well. Let stand 1 hour to blend flavors.
Makes 6 servings.
Zesty Cabbage Salad
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 cups shredded savoy cabbage
2 cups snow peas, cut lengthwise in half
1 cup julienne-cut carrots
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons green pepper sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet. Cook cabbage 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add snow peas, carrots and salt. Cook another 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in green pepper sauce, olive oil, sesame oil and Dijon mustard. Toss to mix well.
Let stand 1 hour to blend flavors. Makes 6 servings.
