Red Lentil Granola
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If you're stuck with a large amount of lentils at home (like me), you can make a wonderful, sweet granola from red lentils.
It's truly a breeze to make, and the result is indulgent, delicious, exceptionally healthy, and provides a nutrient boost for the entire day.
It all started when I wanted to treat the participants of the Vegan Toning Challenge with a quick and simple breakfast recipe that doesn't contain oats or buckwheat.
I racked my brain and turned the kitchen upside down to find a solution that was both nutritious and tasty.
Pretty quickly, I found a deep bowl in the fridge where I had soaked a cup of red lentils the day before to make patties. Suddenly, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head (just like in the movies):
"Why not make granola out of lentils?!"
5 minutes later, I found myself mixing lentils, spices, and nuts in a deep bowl.
A few minutes after that, I was already shouting around my studio kitchen: Eureka! Yes! I found it!
I made an amazing, crunchy, and indulgent granola from red lentils!
A bit about Red Lentil Granola
I made this granola from red lentils, which are very thin and don't require pre-cooking besides baking. You can also substitute them with yellow lentils, quinoa, or raw buckwheat. I haven't tried other legumes, but in my opinion, they wouldn't work as well.
If you succeed in substituting with another legume, let me know!
The sweetener for the granola is maple syrup, which can be replaced with silan (date syrup), sugar, agave, or any other sweetener you like.
To give it that familiar granola flavor, I used cinnamon. You can swap it for other spices like a blend of cardamom, ginger, cloves, or Hawaiian coffee spice mix.
The additions I used are a welcome boost of fatty acids and extra crunch. You can be creative and add dried fruits, whole spices, and more.
An important addition to the granola is peanut butter, which helps coat the lentils so they don't burn in the oven. It can be replaced with the same amount of tahini, almond butter, or coconut oil.
Nutritional Values
One serving out of 5, with an estimated weight of 135g, contains:
- 360 kcal
- 15.4g protein
- 38.4g carbohydrates
- 16g fat
Red Lentil Granola
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils, before soaking 170g
- 4 tbsp maple syrup 60g
- 1 heaping tbsp peanut butter, no sugar added 25g
- 1 handful chopped walnuts 40g
- 1 handful blanched almonds 26g
- 1 handful unsweetened coconut flakes 25g
- 1 handful pumpkin seeds 17g
- 1 handful sunflower seeds 23g
- 1 level tbsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
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Rinse the lentils well to remove dust and debris.
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Transfer to a bowl and add water until fully covered.
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Soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
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Preheat oven to medium heat, 180°C.
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Drain the water and shake well in a sieve to remove excess moisture.
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Transfer to a bowl.
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Add the rest of the granola ingredients: peanut butter, maple syrup, choice of nuts, and cinnamon, and mix well.
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Spread the granola onto a baking sheet, making sure it is spread thinly and evenly without forming thick layers.
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Bake the granola for 15-20 minutes until it becomes crunchy.
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Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
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Transfer to a dry, airtight jar.
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Stays crispy and delicious for about a week.
