Red Lentil Fritters
Red Lentil Fritters
Chock full of protein and veg, these yummy fritters are a delicious and filling snack and will satisfy your salty and crispy craving. They feel a bit like a labor of love, but if I am in a chopping groove, it goes quickly. And my kids actually request these, so that is some extra motivation there. These are delicious right when made, but also reheat quite easily for a snack.
Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus overnight soaking time) Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped butternut squash
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped spinach (de-stemmed if needed)
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon each of cumin and sea salt - make sure there are no added starches in your spices
1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, coriander, and turmeric -make sure there are no added starches in your spices
2 cups of 12-hour soaked and rinsed red lentils
4-6 TBSP of avocado oil for frying
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized sauté pan.
Sauté onions and a sprinkle of salt for 3-4 minutes.
Add the butternut squash and sauté for another 5-8 minutes.
Add the spinach and cilantro and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. You want to make sure all the veggies including the butternut squash are well cooked. You can always cover the pan at this point for a few minutes to speed it along.
Add all the spices, stir well, and fry for 1 minute. The mixture may appear a bit dry--this is how it should be!
Transfer veggie and spice mixture to a large bowl.
Place the red lentils in a food processor and blend with ½ TBSP of water. You are going for a thick batter here, not a runny batter. You can add another ½ TBSP of water if needed to loosen it up.
Mix batter into veggies and stir well.
Scoop a tablespoon of batter and press down to make flat discs.
Heat the avocado oil in a large sauté pan, until the oil is shimmering and sizzles with a drop of water. Place 4-5 discs in the pan and cook on medium high for 2-3 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Serve warm dipped in Yogurt Dip.
