Cookies or Red Lentil Falafel? That's for you to decide.

Cookies?

Or Red Lentil Falafel?  (Notice the half-eaten one on the bottom?  They were that good, I couldn't help but try before taking photos)

Perhaps a hybrid of some sort.

The idea of putting red lentils in cookies came to me at 5:30 in the morning on Memorial Day Monday, my first day off in over a month.  Andrew was sitting next to me in bed, eating red lentils for breakfast before heading off to work the morning shift at the bakery.  Upon discovering, in my half-dream state, that he was eating red lentils, I thought of how good red lentils would taste in a cookie.  I love the sweet, nutty, and delicate taste of the red lentil, and its vivid color makes it aesthetically appealing.  The texture, when cooked for long enough, is thick and almost porridge-like, which makes me want to it it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The sweet-nutty taste compliments other ingredients like cashews, walnuts, and dried fruit.  I was planning on making cookies to celebrate my day off, and so I knew I had to experiment with this tiny legume.

After dropping Andrew off and hitting the gym, I whipped up some lentils while eating my breakfast.  Cookie-making commenced.  I was so delighted with the results -- the sweet-nutty taste of the lentils combined with carrots and apple sauce, nuts and raisins made my taste buds sing with success.  This was definitely a cookie, in my mind.

When Andrew came home in the afternoon, I gave him a one to try.  To him, these tasted more like falafel.  Although sweet from the raisins, he noticed the savory side of the lentils more, and promptly made some millet flat bread to wrap the cookie-falafel hybrid up in for lunch.

Think of them how you please.  Sweet or savory, these little hybrids are delicious, no matter how you eat them.  The lentils add protein, fiber, and iron, along with antioxidants and amino acids.  You can't go wrong there. 

Red Lentil Hybrids

• 2 cups cooked red lentils
• 3/4 cup millet flour
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 3 medium-sized carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup trail mix -- mine included walnuts, almonds, pepitas, and raisins
• 1 teaspoon stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a sheet pan with oil or butter.  In a large bowl, combine ingredients.  If necessary, add more apple sauce or millet flour to get a soft dough-like consistency -- this will vary depending on how wet or dry your lentils are when cooked.  Taste for flavor, and add more stevia, ginger, cinnamon, or trail mix, to fit what you're craving.  Using an ice cream scoop, place onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until firm.  Yields 10 "hybrids".

What's the strangest ingredient you've put into a cookie or used as a substitute for a traditional recipe?