Vegetarian / Vegan Option / GF (Serves 4)

This recipe is a prebiotic powerhouse! The diverse range of fiber-rich plant foods (also known as prebiotics) feeds your gut bacteria to help them thrive. When your gut bacteria are happy, they produce compounds that travel up to your brain and influence your mood, keeping you happy too!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

2 cups vegetable stock

14 once jar of lentils drained and rinsed

2 cups baby spinach

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 tbsp pepitas

1 tbsp dried cranberries

½ cup goat’s cheese 

8 eggs

DRESSING

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp honey

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, add the dry quinoa and vegetable stock. Heat over low to medium heat until all the stock has been absorbed and the quinoa is soft and fluffy (approximately 10-15 minutes). Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
2. Hard boil the eggs by placing them into a pot of boiling water and allowing them to simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs from the heat and place them into a bowl of cold water to cool. Once cooled, remove the shell, and slice each egg in half.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the drained lentils, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, and quinoa. Sprinkle with pepitas, cranberries, and goat’s cheese.
4. Make the dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, and honey, and drizzle over the salad. Toss to evenly distribute throughout 
5. Divide the salad into 4 bowls (or containers if using as meal prep) and top each portion with 2 boiled eggs. Enjoy! 

NOTES

STORAGE: If using this recipe as meal prep, keep the boiled eggs in their shell and don’t dress the salad until the day you intend on eating it to keep things fresh. Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

VEGAN OPTION: Substitute goat’s cheese for a vegan cheese substitute, swap eggs for ½ cup pan-fried firm tofu, and substitute honey for maple syrup.