Some foods and flavors are obvious matches: peanut butter and jelly (though I will admit I didn’t enjoy that combination until recently), French fries and ketchup, cookies and cream, etc.

Other pairings are strange on the surface, however, but work just as magically as “the classics.” I’m talking about avocado and chocolate (like in this pudding), sea salt and caramel, bacon and figs, and other salty-sweet or spicy-sweet combinations.

You may be skeptical at first, but I’m telling you now that lentils and grapes go together. In this salad, they’re the best of friends.

Throw in some quinoa, cucumber, red pepper, lemon, and toasted hazelnuts, and you’ve got the salad equivalent of a symphony.

It may not be the prettiest, but the lemon vinaigrette makes the flavors pop.

Lentil and Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Cucumber, and Hazelnuts

slightly adapted from Giada’s Italian Lentil Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry lentils
• ½ cup dry quinoa (rinsed)
• 1 large cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup red grapes (cut in half)
• ½ cup toasted hazelnuts (roughly chopped)
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook lentils in 3-4 cups of water for about 15-20 minutes (cook them slightly al dente to avoid a mushy salad). Drain, set aside, and allow to cool completely.
2. In another pot, cook quinoa according to package directions (in about 1 cup of water for 10-15 minutes). Allow quinoa to cool completely.
3. To make the vinaigrette, pour lemon juice into a small bowl. Add salt and pepper, and slowly add in the olive oil, whisking vigorously to combine.
4. To assemble the salad, place the lentils, quinoa, and vegetables into a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, chopped hazelnuts, and dressing, stirring to combine.

The salad can be served immediately, but I recommend making at least an hour in advance so the flavors can develop. It’s even better when stored in the refrigerator over night. Just stir any dressing that’s settled and that’s it!

Question for you: What are some of your favorite strange food combinations?