Lentil Bacon Salad with Gorgonzola Pita - Teaspoon of Spice

Lentil Bacon Salad with Gorgonzola Pita – Teaspoon of Spice

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This lentil bacon salad is rich in protein, fiber, iron, folate and flavor.

Disclosure: Last month, I oversaw a sponsored recipe contest with Toufayan Bakeries and received samples. I was not compensated for this post – just crushing on their pita breads!

I had been wanting to make this Warm Bacon-Dijon Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese Crostini since I saw it in Cooking Light last month. And then one of our dear neighbors gifted me a bag of french lentils so I took it as a sign to make it then and there.

But I didn’t have arugula. Or goat cheese. Or a baguette for that matter. Not to mention that my lentils were not even the pre-cooked ones that the recipe called for.

But I did have romaine lettuce and leftover sweet onion pita bread from our recent Recipe ReDux sponsored contest with Toufayan Bakeries (if you love pita, you gotta check out all these creative and quick recipes our bloggers came up with—> pita recipes.)

My new fav lunch: Lentil Bacon Salad with Gorgonzola Pita @tspbasil Click To Tweet

And even with all the different swaps – it still was delicious and very filling (my Instagram post):

And I liked my edited version of the salad so much that I made it again later in the week – keeping all my changes and even adding roasted carrots to the mix.

So, back to the lentils – here are just a few reasons why I love them (and vow to cook with them more often):

Lentils cook up quickly (ready in 20 minutes) – compared to other dried beans and pulses.
They’re a great source of protein, fiber, iron, potassium and folate!
Also, lentils are super versatile – you can use them in any recipe you’d use ground meat – like tacos, soup, burgers, casseroles and more.

So, here’s my version of Cooking Light’s original recipe – serve it warmed or cold!

Description

This lentil bacon salad is rich in protein, fiber, iron, folate and flavor.

For the lentils:

1 cup uncooked lentils
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water

For the carrots & bacon:

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped carrots (or baby carrots cut in half)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
4 pieces center-cut uncooked bacon

For the pita:

2 ounces gorgonzola cheese
2 pieces of pita bread

For the dressing:

1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt and pepper
2 romaine heads, chopped

In a medium sized pan, cook lentils according to package instructions in broth or water.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, toss carrots with one tablespoon olive oil and Cajun seasoning. Spread on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
On another foil lined pan, lay strips of bacon. Put into oven (you can do this the same time as the carrots) and bake until crisp – about 15 – 18 minutes. Remove from oven and blot with paper towels. Rip into bite sized pieces.
Once carrots and bacon are finished, turn oven to broil setting. Spread gorgonzola over pitas. Place on a pan and put under broiler until cheese is melted and pita is toasted (1 1/2 – 2 minutes – keep your eye on the bread so it doesn’t burn!) Remove from the oven and cool. Cut into small pieces with a pizza cutter.
To make the dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup canola oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and a dash of salt and pepper. Add to a pourable bottle for serving.
To assemble the salads, divide the romaine lettuce over four dinner plates. Spoon lentils on top, then carrots, bacon and pita pieces. Serve with the dressing.