Lentil Salad

Lentil salad is a great way to get your protein and veggies in one serving and it makes a great potluck dish. It lasts a while in the fridge which is a plus in my house because I like to make a big batch and feed off it for a week or so. For my salad I prefer the french indigo lentils which cook quickly and tend to keep their shape (unless you cook the crap out of them). Yellow and green lentils are better for creamy dishes or a dahl. So cook 2 c  lentils with a bay leaf for about 1 hour or until they are just tender. While they cook make a dressing in a large bowl of 1/2 c olive oil, juice of 2 lemons, 1/4 c apple cider vinegar, 1  T  ground cumin, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp celtic salt, fresh black pepper, and 1/4 c chopped parsley or cilantro - whisk well. Then add the following diced - cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, and red or yellow pepper. Once your lentils are cooked, strain them in a colander and rinse well with cold water until you can handle them. Then add veggies and lentils into the bowl and toss.