A bowl of red lentil oatmeal has been how I give a boost of iron, fibre and a bit of extra protein to my morning bowl of oats!
There’s nothing wrong with a simple bowl of oatmeal, but I prefer to add a boost of protein, iron and fibre to my breakfast these days. Red lentils add a slight potato-y texture to the oats, which may or may not be your thing. However, they add so much extra nutrition to my oats that it’s worth it, especially since I’m dousing my bowl with fruit and maple syrup anyway.
This recipe makes two adult sized servings, or for me since I eat a lot, a large serving and a toddler serving. Since I’m eating about 3/4 of this recipe, I’m getting about 15 g of protein, 8 g of fibre, and 5 mg of iron.
From these red lentil oats, my toddler is getting 4 g of protein, 2.2 g of fibre, and 1.3 mg of iron. My 2 year old typically needs about 15 g of protein, 7 g of fibre, and about 7 mg of iron in a day. When you add a banana and peanut butter to this, you’re getting even more good stuff! The amount I give my kid brings up the total to 5.9 g protein, 4 g fibre, and 1.6 mg iron.
This simple bowl of red lentil oatmeal is great fuel for busy mornings. It cooks up in 15 minutes, mostly only requiring stirring once you add the oats. I don’t usually need a snack between meals when I start my day with these red lentil oats, which is a huge bonus.
Looking for other breakfast ideas?
Check out some of my other breakfast recipes:
- Curried Savoury Oats (another take on this red lentil oatmeal)
- French Toast
- Breakfast Sandwiches
Red Lentil Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup split red lentils rinsed twice and drained
- 1 cup water plus more if needed
- 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2-3 tbsp soy milk or plant milk of choice
Toppings (to taste)
- 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter per serving
- 1/2 banana sliced, per serving
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup Or sweetener of your choice
Instructions
- In a small pot, add red lentils. Rinse with water and drain, repeating twice until the water isn't as cloudy or bubbly. Drain well, then add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil on the stove. Lower to a steady simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes until the lentils are mostly cooked through.1/4 cup split red lentils, 1 cup water
- Once the lentils are mostly cooked through, add the quick cooking oats, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Stir well and cook until the oats are to your preferred texture. Add water 1 tbsp at a time if you want the consistency to be thinner. Once oats are cooked to your desired consistency, turn off the heat.3/4 cup quick cooking oats, 1 pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Add plant milk to mix through. This will keep the oats creamy and prevent it from clumping up. Divide into two serving bowls, and top with your desired toppings.2-3 tbsp soy milk
Ash says
Hey, by the chance have your tried using old fashioned oats, just wondering, that’s what I usually have. It looks great!
Lisa Le says
Yep! You just need to cook them for about 5 minutes after cooking the lentils partially through :)