Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Another recipe born of necessity--remember that summer squash "lasagna"?  Well, I didn't want to use the bumpy tops and bottoms of the tomatoes (see above), so I diced them and placed them in a bowl.  I was going to make pico de gallo, but I've been doing that all summer, and although it is a good excuse to make margaritas, it was getting kind of old.  I started throwing other scraps I had in the fridge and freezer, and this filling, tasty salad came together.  I highly recommend it as leftovers--the longer it sits, the stronger the flavors are.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Serves 4-6

This salad takes little more than a few minutes to assemble if you already have cooked lentils and grains on hand.  I like to cook large batches of lentils and wheat berries, both things that take a while to cook, and freeze them in 1 cup portions for this very purpose.  They can thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in a couple of minutes in the microwave.  Use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand to round out the salad; my list is only a suggestion.

1 cup brown lentils, cooked
1 cup wheat berries, cooked
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cucumber, peeled and diced
1 medium tomato, cored and chopped
1 ear of fresh corn, scraped off the cob
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Large handful chopped fresh herbs--basil, parsley, oregano, dill, in any combination

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.  Place all other ingredients in a large serving bowl, pour dressing on top, and stir to coat.  Can be served cold or at room temperature.