Recipe: Gluten-Free Lentil Brownies

Photo by Asia Bradlee

Vegetables and legumes aren’t just for savory dishes anymore—they’re part of a new healthy baking trend. Meant to mimic the texture of traditional flour and butter while adding nutrients, these ingredients do not have strong flavors and can’t be tasted in the final product.

These gluten-free brownies get their rich and creamy flavor from lentils. As a member of the legume family, lentils are filled with fiber, protein, and an abundance of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and folate.

Lentils come in three varieties: red, green, and brown. Brown is the softest of the three and is used in this recipe for easy puréeing, but if you can’t find brown, any type will do. You may just have to add some extra water to the food processor if you opt for other colors.

Ingredients

1/2 cup lentils
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cashews, dried fruit, or other add-ins (optional)
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a food processor, grind the oats into a fine flour and place in a bowl. In a pan, mix the lentils with one cup of water. Let them simmer over medium heat until the lentils are tender and the water is absorbed. In the food processor, process the lentils and a little bit of water until the mixture forms a purée.

In a separate bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla. Whisk well. Mix in the lentil purée and then fold in the oats, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and optional chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit.

Bake for 20 minutes and serve warm. Store up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.