Fancy eating something yummy, but also healthy? Chocolate chip lentil cookies might just be the thing you are looking for. If your kids love eating chocolate chip cookies, then this is ideally the version you should give them.
The recipe for chocolate chip lentil cookies
To make chocolate chip lentil cookies, you will need 2 cups of chocolate chips, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups brown sugar, ½ cup of cooked lentils, ½ cup butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and 1 egg.
Cook the lentils and put them in a blender together with 2 tbsp of water. Blend until you get a smooth paste and set it aside. Cream together the butter and sugar until they are combined well. Add the lentil puree, vanilla, and egg to this mixture, blending until smooth.
Cream together the butter and sugar until they are combined well. (Image: Screenshot via YouTube)
Take a bowl and whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients into the already prepared wet mixture. Toss in the chocolate chips and mix well. You can either roll them into balls or drop them by spoonfuls, placing them on an oiled baking tray two inches apart from each other.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. When the oven is ready, place the baking tray in the oven and wait for about 12 minutes. Your healthy and yummy chocolate chip lentil cookies are now ready!
Health benefits of chocolate chip lentil cookies
Both chocolate and lentils offer several health benefits to the human body. Dark chocolate contains numerous organic compounds and antioxidants that protect cells from being damaged by the activity of free radicals. Flavanols present in dark chocolate are capable of stimulating the lining of arteries, generating nitric oxide, which aids in controlling blood pressure. They also boost blood flow to the skin, ensuring that it is protected from the negative effects of sun exposure.
Dark chocolate can minimize insulin resistance and reduce the risk of heart disease. When it comes to nutrients, chocolate with around 75 to 85 percent cocoa content is considered very good for the body. A regular 3.5-ounce chocolate bar “has almost all of your RDA for copper and manganese. It contains over half your magnesium RDA and about two-thirds (67 percent) of your RDA for iron. It also has about 10 percent of fiber. There is also lots of zinc, selenium and potassium too,” according to Lifehack.
Chocolate with around 75 to 85 percent cocoa content is considered very good for the body. (Image: AlexanderStein via Pixabay)
Lentils are rich in polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective qualities. They can also be good for managing your blood sugar levels. Interestingly, these polyphenols do not lose their health properties during cooking, making lentils one of the best foods you can consume.
Regularly eating lentils can also benefit your heart. In an 8-week study, 48 overweight people suffering from type 2 diabetes ate a one-third cup serving of lentils every day. The researchers discovered that the level of good HDL cholesterol increased while the level of bad LDL cholesterol declined.
For those who choose not to eat meat, lentils offer an excellent alternative for protein since they are comprised of 25 percent protein. One cup of lentils provides 90 percent of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) of folate, 49 percent RDI of manganese, 37 percent RDI of iron, 25 percent RDI copper, and 21 percent RDI of potassium.
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