Warm Broccoli Orange Lentil Salad

Citrus season is here and that means a nourishing bowl I like to call this warm broccoli orange lentil salad. It’s warm, yet tangy and refreshing. Packed with textures that’ll make your mouth turn into a disco party. And a disco party is obviously a good thing.

Warm, yet tangy and refreshing broccoli orange lentil salad packed with textures that'll make your mouth turn into a disco party.

Let’s start this off with a little food science to make you want this even more than I hope you already do. When you eat broccoli and mustard seed powder together, you activate a chemical reaction that creates sulforaphanes. And those are responsible for the antioxidants that protect your body against a host of diseases. I know people talk about antioxidants A LOT so this probably doesn’t matter to you much, but I heard it in a mindbodygreen podcast where my favorite gut health doctor (Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., MSCI) went on and on about it, so don’t take my word for it––trust Will. Anyways, I used curry powder (which has mustard seed powder as the main ingredient) for this broccoli. So you get the flavor and the sulforaphanes! It’s a win-win.

Warm, yet tangy and refreshing broccoli orange lentil salad packed with textures that'll make your mouth turn into a disco party.

Now let’s talk about this warm broccoli orange lentil salad. Crunchy broccoli. Comforting marinated lentils. Juicy oranges and a tangy orange olive oil dressing. I’m not even talking about peaches, but I feel this salad came straight out of an outdoor picnic Elio’s family would have in Call Me By Your Name.

The Rundown

1. Soak lentils overnight to make cooking them super fast. Alternatively, you can cook them on the same day. Here is a recipe I found that tells you how. Then saute the lentils until soft and marinate with olive oil, dijon mustard, some spices, and some herbs.

2. Saute broccoli. Make sure it’s still crunchy when you’re done!

3. Make that orange dressing. You’ll just need olive oil, garlic, and curry powder that you heat on the stove first. Then stir in freshly squeezed orange juice and sea salt!

Warm, yet tangy and refreshing broccoli orange lentil salad packed with textures that'll make your mouth turn into a disco party.

Warm Broccoli Orange Lentil Salad

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Cook Time 30 mins
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 oranges
  • toasted pistachios and sesame seeds for topping

Marinated Lentils

  • ¾ cup uncooked brown lentils
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • ½ cup cilantro

Orange Olive Oil Dressing

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp orange juice
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak 3/4 cup of brown lentils in water overnight (or pressure cook the day of, but the former is quicker). 
  • Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 clove of garlic to a medium saucepan. Add lentils and 1/4 cup water. Saute until soft (~ 10 min).
  • Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, black pepper, paprika, green onions, and cilantro. Taste and adjust if you want!
  • Saute broccoli until cooked, but slightly crunchy, so about 7-8 minutes on medium heat.
  • For the dressing, add 2 tbsp olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Add Add 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tsp curry powder. Stir for 1-2 minutes (until fragrant).
  • Take it off the heat, pour into a bowl, and whisk in 3 tbsp orange juice and salt to taste.
  • Assemble that bowl and top with orange slices, toasted pistachios, and sesame seeds. 

For more warm salads, check out…

Tandoori Chickpea and Cauliflower Bowl

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