Crisp Lentil Salad

Ingredients
1 c brown lentils
3/4 tsp kosher salt
4 c water
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c red onion, chopped
1/4 c red pepper, chopped
1/4 c green pepper, chopped
1/4 c yellow pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions
Bring the water, lentils, and about 3/4 tsp of kosher salt to a boil over medium high heat.  When you've reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat and simmer over medium-to-low heat for approximately 30 minutes when lentils are done. Drain the water from the lentils.

Stir in the vegetables and the vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Chill a few hours, it actually gets better as the lentils soak in the liquid.  Serves 6.  Very fresh, crisp, and tasty with a nice nuttiness from the lentils.

Spicy Cuke Salad

In case you were wondering:  still finishing up last week's delivery.  With Abby and Mark both out of town, I am going to have to cook vegetarian to ensure #novegleftbehind happens...   

However, Mark and I fell in love with the cucumber this spring in Costa Rica.  At our hotel (really reasonably priced if you are considering going), they would keep filling your glass with cucumber-infused ice water while you lounged at the pool.  It was heaven... 

Anyway, we got a green cucumber and a white cucumber, so I started remembering that trip.  And, that made me want to combine the refreshing cucumber with something spicy and Latin-American-ish...

Ingredients
1 medium green cucumber
1 medium white cucumber (Can't find this?  Just use another green one.  The taste is identical.)
3 small ears of sweet corn
1 medium-to-large tomato, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 orange bell pepper, diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Instructions

Bring a small pot of water to a boil on the stove.  Add the corn to the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut your cucumbers in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  Chop the remaining cucumber and add to a bowl.

Remove the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs and into the bowl with the cucumber.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss with the Red Wine Vinegar.  Chill for at least two hours before serving...  Ideally, it's best when it's had a night to combine and soak into the vegetables.  It's crunch, spicy, and somehow cool and refreshing at the same time...  YUM!  This would be perfect for a barbeque side...

Serves 6