Creamy Oats and Lentils with Sweetly Spiced Apples: A Healthy Breakfast
Searching for a healthy breakfast recipe? A bowl of oatmeal is a great way to start your day. This one takes a common pairing of oats and apples and adds lentils and milk to boost the protein. And cardamom and cinnamon make the taste AMAZING!
You’ll love this healthy breakfast recipe that combines oats with other health-boosting ingredients
You may be thinking lentils for breakfast? That’s weird. Or maybe you’re questioning the whole lentils and oats combo. Don’t worry. It’s delicious. Even my very skeptical daughter found my recipes with lentils and oats so delicious that she took my recipes with her to grad school.
What’s To Love About This Healthy Breakfast Recipe
Both lentils and oats contain compounds that feed your healthy gut bacteria, and both of these foods are good for your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. You’re getting a good dose of fiber, plant protein, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Though research is inconsistent, the spices may also improve insulin resistance. So in addition to being delicious, Creamy Oats and Lentils with Sweetly Spiced Apples is a heart-healthy, diabetes friendly, health-boosting breakfast recipe.
Who knew that oats, lentils, cinnamon and cardamom could be so delicious!
For a totally different oats and lentils combo, try my Savory Oats and Lentils, which is good any time of day. Top it with an egg for a satisfying, energy-sustaining breakfast.
Creamy Oats and Lentils with Sweetly Spiced Apples: A Healthy Breakfast
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 large apples unpeeled, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- 3 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 ½ cups nonfat milk (or milk of choice)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the canola oil and swirl to cover the surface. Add the diced apples. Cook until lightly softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the cardamom and cinnamon and stir to mix the seasonings well.
- Add the water and the salt. Increase the heat to bring the contents to a boil. Add the lentils and oats. Stir vigorously. Reduce the heat to medium low to obtain a steady simmer. Add the milk and stir well.
- Cover and continue to simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils and oats are cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Serve with toppings of choice such as additional diced apples, brown sugar, honey, almonds or walnuts. Refrigerate leftovers. To reheat, add a little milk and warm on the stovetop or the microwave.
Notes
Nutrition
Cardamom is one of my favorite spices. I discovered it years ago when I first ordered Turkish coffee. It’s often in desserts and sweet breads, but I like it in a variety of dishes. If you like it too, check out Sweetly Spiced Chicken Thighs.
Filed Under: Breakfast Beans and Pulses, Breakfast and Brunch, Recipe
Tagged: breakfast, carbohydrate, lentils, oats
Jill Weisenberger
I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.
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Welcome to my Blog
Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.
I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.
And I believe willpower is way overrated.
Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.
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I check weblog posts early in the break of day, because I enjoy learning more.Great recipe!
Loved the recipe had to use Brown lentils because of pantry moths in the red, which than took longer to cook. It was not sweet enough so i added maple syrup or honey I have a sweet tooth.perfect for a power lunch
Yay! Not for the pantry months, but yay for being flexible and using the recipe as a template to suit your own needs. Love it. Power on!
Just tried it. Used twice as much rolled oats because I didn’t have the steel cut. Was so delicious!!
Oh yay! I’m so glad you liked it, and I love knowing your substitute. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is delicious! I used white lentils instead of red lentils. I find them “nuttier” than red lentils, which cook down to mush in my very soft well-water. I think the recipe might be good with pumpkin or butternut squash chunks too, yes? Anyway, down the road I’ll give the squashes a try. Maybe come summer I’ll even do zucchini. (Maybe.)
For what it’s worth: in my years of oatmeal cooking experience, I never stir oats into boiling water. I just put cold tap water and oats into the pot at the same time (and that’s the way I cooked up your recipe here too). I find it makes the oats creamier, and they don’t clump.
Your educational posts are The Best, Jill. Thank you for writng them for us.
I love having your substitutions! Thank you for sharing. I’m going to try out yellow lentils. I’m so glad you come to my site. I love hearing about what helps you and what you need more of.
Exactly what I was looking for this morning. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
God bless you!
Now, it’s on my mind. I think I’ll have to make it too.
This is a new favorite. My husband likes it too with a little maple syrup &/or cocoa powder.
Oooh, I’ll have to try it with cocoa powder. That sounds really good! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this great recipe! I started adding lentils to my morning oatmeal and love the idea of starting them with the spiced apples.
I just saw a video on YouTube saying that the beans/peas with the most antioxidants are garbanzos and lentils. I’m going to try making falafel in the air fryer I just bought. For breakfast I’ve been eating oatmeal most days and often with additional grains, because it gets me through the day without hunger like nothing else. I saw your recipe tonight and made a small batch of steel cut oats and lentils and I think I’ll be experimenting with it for awhile. Thanks so much for a great idea.
Awesome! I love to hear how your experimenting goes. Please share any great flavor combinations.
Hi Jill, In addition to Prediabetes, I have osteoporosis so can I do half water and half milk to add a little calcium?
Thanks so much!
Geni
That sounds like a great idea!
Tried with an Italian olive oil vs Canola and it was amazing
Yay! So glad.
Could I add lentil flour to my oatmeal instead of lentils? I bought a bag of it and don’t have any great ideas for using it.
No, I’m afraid that would be too different in form and texture to be a suitable substitute.