Tomatoes Stuffed with French Lentils

What's better than an edible container? These hollowed tomatoes are a perfect vessel for a refreshing lentil salad. Bell pepper and celery add a nice crunch to the creamy lentils.
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes
1 cup dried French green lentils (du Puy)
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 T -1/4 cup chopped onion
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T stone-ground mustard
1 garlic clove, finely minced
pinch crushed red pepper
kosher or sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
200 calories; 1 g fat; 0.1 g saturated fat; 4% calories from fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 14.1 g protein; 36.6 g carbohydrate; 6.5 g sugar; 9.7 g fiber; 224 mg sodium; 55 mg calcium; 5.8 mg iron; 65.6 mg vitamin C; 823 mcg beta-carotene; 1.3 mg vitamin E
Preparation
With a paring knife, cut tops off tomatoes. With a melon baller or spoon, scoop out insides of tomatoes, leaving a shell thick enough to hold the lentils. Place tomatoes upside down onto paper towels to drain for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse and remove any debris from the lentils. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add lentils, bay leaves, and onion and bring to another boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 20-45 minutes. The lentils should be cooked through, but still firm. Drain lentils and shake gently to remove the excess water. Remove bay leaves.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add to lentils. Stir and let cool.
Add the bell pepper and celery to the cooled lentil mixture.
Divide the lentil mixture evenly among tomatoes and serve.
Additional Tips
From The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook: 125 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Jump-Start Weight Loss and Help You Feel Great by Neal Barnard and Robyn Webb.