Protein-rich lentil pasta salad – super easy, quick and healthy
Just lately, I’ve been asked more and more for recipes and tips on how to more easily meet your protein needs. In fact, protein is also often the macronutrient that, along with carbohydrates and fats, often gets a bit of a raw deal in the general diet. Mostly, this is because our favourite foods are often a combination of carbohydrates and fats: Pizza Margherita, pasta with pesto, bread with cheese, French fries…
Lots of snacks also have either mainly carbohydrates like fruit or fats like nuts. Meeting your protein needs, especially when you are active in sports, is sometimes not easy and that is why I always advise you to consciously take a protein-rich side dish or to include protein-rich snacks. Many people think of bodybuilders when they think of proteins, and have a slightly distorted image. But proteins are essential for our existence. Without them, we would not be able to live. I’ll tell you more about proteins and how to determine your daily protein requirements in *this* blog post.
One of my absolute favourite summer recipes is a pasta salad with lentil noodles and yogurt-tahini-lemon dressing. It’s super quick, you can eat it as a side dish or as a main meal. Plus, it stays fresh for 1–2 days in the fridge. At the same time, you provide your body with important nutrients and vitamins. Pasta? Basta!
Equipment
- 2 pots, small and middle
- 1 pan
Ingredients
- 250 g lentil pasta
- 1 pinch salt
- 100 g chickpea & red lentil "couscous" from dm (unpaid ad)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 point of a knife salt, ground pepper, paprika, ginger, coriander seeds
- 200 g tofu smoked
- 3 garlic cloves optional
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 100 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 g broccoli
- 2 medium carrots
- 300 g salad e.g. rocket salad, baby spinach mixed
- 100 g chickpeas
- 1 small bunch basil leaves
Dressing
- 100 g soja yoghurt unsweetened
- 1 tbsp tahini
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 point of a knife salt, ground pepper, paprika, ginger, coriander seeds
Instructions
- For the lentil noodles, bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a pot, add a pinch of salt, let the noodles boil for 6-8 minutes, and then drain them carefully.
- While you are preparing your lentil noodles, bring 120 ml of water with 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil to a boil in a small pot for the chickpea & red lentil "couscous". When the water boils, take the pot off the cooker, add the couscous, season it with 1 pinch of salt, ground pepper, paprika, ginger, and coriander seeds, mix everything well and let it swell for 5 minutes, covered.
- Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a pan, cut the tofu into 1 cm cubes, the garlic into thin slices, and fry everything for approx. 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Wash your lettuce, cut the tomatoes and broccoli into small pieces, and the carrots into thin slices. Put everything in a large salad bowl with the lentil noodles, couscous and chickpeas.
- For the dressing, mix the soy yoghurt with the tahini, lemon juice and spices and pour it over your salad. Mix everything well, garnish with basil and as always: Enjoy to the fully fullest!
Nutrients
Protein-rich, light, delicious
I love fresh salads, especially in summer, because they are uncomplicated, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Plus, they are satiating without weighing you down. As you can see, it’s not that difficult to eat something more protein-packed – you just have to know how! For example, lentil noodles are just great for this if you like to eat noodles. They are a super protein-rich alternative to conventional pasta made from durum wheat semolina – read more here. Alternatively, you can make my light lentil noodle salad with lemon mustard dressing with them.
Enjoy to the fully fullest! 🙂
Plus, if you’re looking for more easy, vegan summer recipes, I’ve put together a board for you on Pinterest – click!
Yours, Rosa 😉
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