Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

I receive the newsletter GOOP written by Gwyneth Paltrow every week. She has a lot of great tips and last week she included 5 easy recipes that her family likes to eat. I had just recently bought a big bag of lentils so I could make some baby food for Colton with it and thought I'd try this recipe. It was so delicious and because lentils are packed with protein and fiber, it made us full really fast! This is a very healthy recipe and wasn't hard to make at all.

LENTIL AND SWEET POTATO SALAD

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 2 pinches red chili powder
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
• 2 cups of lentils, washed and picked through
• 2 tablespoons torn parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, the maple syrup and one pinch of chili. Roast, stirring, until caramelized and a paring knife slips easily through a piece, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the additional two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining pinch of chili, onion, carrot, garlic, oregano, pepper and thyme. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are a bit softened and just beginning to brown. Add the lentils and four cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to low, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

Let the lentils cool to room temperature. Fold the lentils together with the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with your good olive oil, sprinkle with salt and parsley, and serve.