Ginger Lentil Muffins

This recipe has been updated!  Version 2 can be made vegan and gluten-free, and you can find it here: Spiced Lentil Muffins.

Now I get that you might be feeling a little skeptical about lentils in muffins but just hear me out. You trusted me on the zucchini chocolate cake, right? And look how well that turned out! Just try them, and you’ll never look at a lentil the same way again.

By now, you might have realized that I have a teensy bit of a muffin fetish. They’re so easy to bake, incredibly versatile and very portable – what’s not to love? So when I ended up bored around the house on a Saturday afternoon, what else was I to do but create the recipe I’ve had floating around in my head for a month?

Bonus: if you’re an endurance athlete like me, these have the perfect carb to protein ratio (4:1) for recovery. Just sayin’. :)

Ginger Lentil Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

1 c. split red lentils
2 c. water

Dry Ingredients
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. bran
1/2 c. rolled oats
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. molasses
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. raisins, chopped dates or nuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add lentils and simmer for about half an hour, or until the lentils are soft and creamy. Cool slightly.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease muffin pans.
3. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside.
4. In a smaller bowl, combine egg, vanilla, oil and molasses, then add brown sugar and dried fruit or nuts and stir until the lumps are gone. Add cooked lentils and mix thoroughly.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry, and mix just until combined. Spoon into greased muffin pans, dividing evenly.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pans, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Information (per muffin):
202 cal
30g carbs, 8g fiber, 12g sugar
8g protein
6g fat