Doctor in the Kitchen: Roasted Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad
Oct 01, 2023 12:00AM ● By Dr. Sarah Axtell
This hearty and healthy salad is made with roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, arugula, feta and candied pecans. It’s the ultimate Fall salad!
For salad
6 cups arugula
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
2 TBSP avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
1 cup cooked lentils (I buy the pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s in the fridge section)
½ cup crumbled feta
½ cup candied pecans
For dressing
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbspmaple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Sarah Axtell is a naturopathic doctor who helps people facing chronic health conditions such as hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and weight-loss resistance. Her passion is using Food as Medicine with her patients. She has a private practice, Lakeside Natural Medicine, in Shorewood.
Lentils provide soluble fiber—the type our microbiome loves. You get an initial blunting of blood sugar just after eating beans. Then, hours later, after our gut bacteria has had a chance to feast, they produce proprionate, a beneficial compound that slows the absorption of sugar and suppresses appetite. Eating legumes greatly improves our metabolic health.
For salad
6 cups arugula
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
2 TBSP avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
1 cup cooked lentils (I buy the pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s in the fridge section)
½ cup crumbled feta
½ cup candied pecans
For dressing
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbspmaple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Place the sweet potatoes on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss with turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until tender, flipping halfway through.
Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
In a large salad bowl, add arugula and top with roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, feta, and candied pecans. Toss with salad dressing.
Sarah Axtell is a naturopathic doctor who helps people facing chronic health conditions such as hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and weight-loss resistance. Her passion is using Food as Medicine with her patients. She has a private practice, Lakeside Natural Medicine, in Shorewood.
