Lentil Salad with Strawberries and Asparagus

Today it feels like summer here in NoVa: muggy and hot. Ugh, who said we could skip spring??? I didn't feel like heating up the house any more than necessary, plus it's meatless Monday, so I decided on a salad for dinner. We were out of town for most of last week, so I took a look in the pantry and found some green lentils. Combined with leftover asparagus and strawberries from Easter dinner, I put together a yummy, healthy meal in no time.

For the lentils:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried mustard
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 C. vegetable broth
• 1 C. green lentils

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the garlic, mustard, and thyme and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the broth is absorbed and the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.

For the salad:

• salad greens
• 1 C. asparagus, gently cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 C. sliced strawberries
• 1/2 C. sliced cucumber
• goat cheese

For the dressing:

• 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Once the lentils are finished cooking, let them cool slightly. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Arrange the other salad ingredients in bowls. Top with the lentils and goat cheese, then drizzle with dressing.