An irresistible Good Food Diet salad that's healthy, fragrant and fibre-boosting too.

This refreshing salad with its cool mint and sweet and sour flavours is filled with textures, colour and, best of all, loads of fibre. It boasts sweet green garden peas (from your freezer!), brown rice, black lentils, crunchy red onion and fresh mint leaves. Its secret lies in its bold sweet and sour vinaigrette dressing. Very simple to make, it will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Cool, refreshing mint is the one herb that is most likely to feature in your life every day - be it in your toothpaste, chewing gum, sweets, food, drinks, medicine or cosmetics.

This all-rounder comes in many varieties with different flavours and scents. Top of the pops are spearmint (garden mint) and peppermint. But just think of all the other exciting types of mint you can buy from the nursery, such as lemon mint, apple mint, pineapple mint and chocolate mint.

Greek minthology

Minthe was a gorgeous young nymph. Her sin was that Pluto, ruler of the underworld, fell madly in love with her. His sin was that he was married. His wife, Persephone, was understandably furious when she found out about the two love birds and without further ado metamorphosed Minthe into a plant to be trampled upon. Pluto couldn't undo this terrible spell, but softened the curse by making the smell that Minthe gave off when her leaves were stepped on sweet and perfumy. And that is how the aromatic herb, mint, came to be. In Greek mythology, mint is also the symbol of hospitality.

This Green Pea and Mint Salad recipe is:

• Heart-friendly (Use 30 ml/2 tbsp treacle sugar in the dressing.)
• Diabetic-friendly (Use 30 ml/2 tbsp treacle sugar in the dressing.)
• Vegetarian-friendly
• Fibre-rich
• Wheat-free
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Egg-free

HOW TO MAKE GREEN PEA AND MINT SALAD

Salad ingredients

• 125 ml (½ cup) uncooked brown rice or brown basmati rice
  
• 125 ml (½ cup) uncooked black (or brown) lentils
  
• 500 ml (2 cups) frozen green peas
  
• 250 ml (1 cup) chopped red onion (or 1 medium-sized red onion)
  
• 190 ml (¾ cup) loosely packed chopped fresh mint leaves (do not use the stalks; do not compress the mint in the measuring cup otherwise you will have too much mint)

Dressing

• 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
  
• 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
  
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
  
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) water
  
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) treacle sugar (previously called soft brown sugar)
  
• salt and milled black pepper to taste (use the pepper very generously)

Method

Step 1: Cook the rice. Rinse and drain well.

Step 2: Cook the lentils. They must still be firm. Rinse and drain well.

Step 3: Pour boiling water over the frozen peas, just enough to cover the peas. Leave for 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

Step 4: Combine the rice, lentils, green peas, red onion and mint.

Step 5: Mix dressing ingredients thoroughly together for about 2 minutes. The brown sugar won't dissolve completely. Don't worry, it is perfectly all right - it will dissolve in the salad. Toss dressing with salad. Season with more salt and black pepper if need be.

It's best to leave the salad in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to develop fully before serving. This salad will keep in the fridge for a few days. Remember to toss well before serving.

Serves 5.

Tips

• Feel free to add diced avocado, fried/grilled lean bacon (chopped) or a little crumbled feta cheese to the salad just before serving.
• This recipe makes a lovely lunchbox or picnic salad, served with a few slices of chopped ham or smoked chicken.
• Perfect as a healthy braai salad with pork fillet, chicken breast fillets or any fish.

GOOD FOOD DIET COOKING CLASSES !!

With Dalene's Good Food Diet recipes you can enjoy a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing the pleasures of delicious food. Perfect for those who want to control their health or dietary conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, overweight, food allergies and intolerances.

Good Food Diet recipes are wellness recipes, developed for busy people on the go. They are quick, easy, foolproof… and scrumptious! Use them for your family's daily meals and for entertaining.

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