Warm Lentil Kale and Tomato Salad over Toasted Flatbread

Summer is sweet and light, and so should we nourish ourselves.  Salads are great for summer. And if you're concerned about a salad fueling all your summer activities, dig into this one, and tell me you weren't satisfied!
1 cup French Puy green lentils
6 cups kale, washed and sliced
1/4 cup Feta cheese (or toasted walnuts, if vegan)
5 oz yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered (1/2 pint container)
1/4 cup favorite fresh salsa
1 orange pepper, finely diced
1/2 onion, diced

4 Naan, or pita flatbreads

Dressing:
juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander

Start cooking the lentils by bringing 6 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in the lentils and bring back to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Add about 1/4-1/3 tsp salt and cook another 5 minutes, checking for done-ness. Lentils should be firm but not hard, and most certainly not mushy.

If vegan, and using walnuts, toast them on rimmed baking sheet, in a 400F oven, for about 3-5 minutes, watching carefully. When fragrant, remove to a stovetop and cool. Watch carefully - they can burn easily.

While the lentils are cooking, sauté the kale in a large skillet with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, over medium-high heat. Stir almost constantly, as the kale sizzles, and cooks down. After about 5 minutes, the kale should be reduced by about a half, and should be softened to the palate.

Salt and pepper gently, to taste, and set aside.

Now strain the lentils, and while they drain, whisk together the dressing in a small bowl. Toast the flatbreads, ideally in a toaster oven (although I LOVE to use a gas grill!). Toaster works, but is last resort and requires attention - may have to flip flatbreads halfway through.

Final assembly: Tip the Feta (or walnuts), tomatoes, salsa, peppers and onion into a large bowl. Add the lentils and the kale and fold gently together. Pour the dressing over the mixture and fold again. Tip into a serving bowl.

To serve, place a hot, toasted flatbread on each of four plates. Top with a generous serving of lentil salad. Garnish with cilantro and serve with extra lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  This weekend I used fresh-cut curly kale from my Brother-in-Law Hans' garden; sweet, superb, fantastic, exquisite...  But I don't always have access to such outstanding kale.  I think Lacinato, or Tuscan kale would be especially wonderful here.  You are the cook - use your nose!