Lentil Waffles (egg-free, dairy-free)
For the past few days, I’ve been thinking about an experience we had last year. Sam had just fallen off the growth chart and was officially considered “Failure to Thrive” :( Nothing makes a mother feel worse than that.
After that diagnosis and a series of blood tests that seemed a bit off, we were referred to a GI doctor in Dallas and met with a dietician while we were there. Some had feared Sam had celiac disease, which prompted the visit, but that was eventually ruled out. I was grateful to meet with the Dietician on staff, though, and get some ideas of foods we could have Sam eat.
During our visit with her, I learned that one of the main reasons that Sam was not growing was that he was actually protein deficient. Because of his allergies, and a low appetite, he was primarily living off of breastmilk, which I learned does not have a lot of protein. She gave me a lot of different protein options and milk alternatives we could explore, one of those being Ripple Milk. I am so grateful we learned about that and have relied on that a lot over the last year!
One thing I don’t love about it though, is that it is a bit more expensive than traditional milk or other dairy-free milks. As a result, I’m constantly looking for ways to increase the protein in our meals cost-effectively. This brings me to today’s recipe: Lentil Waffles! I cooked up a batch of lentils earlier this week and needed to use them up, and was excited to sneak these into breakfast this morning.
This recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and can be gluten-free if you use gluten-free flour instead of the whole wheat flour I used this morning. They can be naturally sweetened with a ripe banana or a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup. Either way, top them as you would traditional waffles and enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comment section!
Ingredients
1 cup cooked lentils (red or brown, drained well)
1 cup rolled oats (or oat flour)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free waffles)
1 ripe banana (or 2 tbsp maple syrup for sweetness)
1 cup plant-based milk (adjust for batter consistency)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Blend the batter:
Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable. Add a bit more plant-based milk if it’s too thick.Preheat the waffle maker:
Heat your waffle iron and lightly grease it with oil or cooking spray if needed.Cook the waffles:
Pour the batter into the waffle maker (amount depends on the size of your iron). Cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the waffles are golden brown and crisp.Serve:
Top with fresh fruits, maple syrup, nut/seed butter, or a dollop of coconut yogurt.
Tips:
For extra flavor, mix in a handful of chocolate chips or chopped nuts into the batter.
If you don’t have a waffle maker, you can use the batter for pancakes instead!