Make the most of the mid-day with a lunch salad that satisfies. It’s not your typical salad because it leaves most of the greens behind and loads up on lentils instead. This is fantastic because it makes an unexpected treat that builds up your hair. 

Lentils are one of the best foods for your hair. They have many different nutrients that all work together to give you the building blocks to great hair. 

To start with, lentils have a lot of protein. You’ve probably always heard that protein is vital to building strong muscles. It does more than that. It supports cellular health and you need strong cell division to grow long and lush hair. 

High in iron, lentils help red blood cells carry oxygen, which is vital for hair growth. In fact, it’s believed that a deficiency in iron, as well as potassium and zinc, can contribute to hair loss. Luckily for you, lentils have all of these.

Some cultures use lentils regularly, but most Americans use them sparingly, if ever. Bringing them into your diet might be challenging at first, but once you dive in, you’ll want more.

Like many foods, the hulled variety has less fiber than varieties with hulls intact. The green lentils have the hulls intact and we’re recommending French green lentils for this recipe. This variety stays slightly firm after being cooked, which gives them a good texture for a salad.

Gluten-free lentil salad

Ingredients:

1 cup French green lentils

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/4 small onion, chopped

1 rib celery with leaves, cut in half

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped fennel

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 teaspoons minced oregano

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Dressing ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Put lentils, bay leaf, garlic, onion and celery in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the pan to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. You want the lentils to be cooked but still slightly firm.

When they hit this point, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and continue cooking for 10 minutes, until the lentils get tender.

Drain lentils and discard the bay leaf, garlic, and celery. 

In a medium bowl, stir the lentils with the carrot, parsley, fennel, red onion, oregano, and minced garlic

Directions for dressing:

Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small Tupperware or dressing container. Close the lid tightly and shake until thoroughly mixed. Pour over salad.