These lentil bites have only simple ingredients in them, like fresh vegetables and wholemeal bread. This makes them great for baby led weaning as they’re healthy but also soft and easy to chew.
As the lentil balls are tasty on their own, they work well as finger foods for toddlers and meals for older children too.
If you have kids over 1 year old you can also add a yogurt, honey and spice dip for extra flavor.
Summary
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Ages: 9 months – Big Kids
Difficulty: Easy peasy
Makes: 10 lentil balls
Are Lentils Good for Toddlers?
Lentils are a really great source of fiber, folic acid, iron and protein. This makes them a great addition to a toddler’s diet, and particularly good to any children who have vegetarian diets.
It also means that they can keep you feeling full for longer, with slow releasing energy from the protein and fiber in them. While also providing essential nutrients to your child.
Lentil Bites with Yogurt Dip
Ingredients
Lentil Bites
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup red split lentils (110 grams)
- 1 sweet potato (110 grams)
- 1 carrot (90 grams)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 slices wholemeal bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch salt (optional)
Dip
- 1 pot Greek yogurt (about 150 g)
- ½ tablespoon honey (1 year old +)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Add a teaspoon olive oil to a medium sized saucepan.
- Add in the garlic and heat for a minute.
- Add in the peeled and chopped sweet potato and carrot. Heat for a few minutes and then stir in the dried lentils.
- Cover with water and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the pieces are soft and cooked through.
- In the meantime place 2 slices of lightly toasted wholemeal bread into a mixer and blend until you get soft crumbs.
- Empty them into a mixing bowl together with the finely chopped chives.
- Return to the boiling vegetables and lentils, drain them and place in the mixer.
- Blend until smooth and scoop it into the bowl of breadcrumbs and chives. Mix until everything is well combined into a thick mixture.
- Using a spoon, form the mixture into small balls (a little smaller than a ping pong ball).
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan and cook the balls on a medium heat, turning them over until they’re golden on all sides.
- If you’d like to have the dip, mix the yogurt, cumin and honey together. Serve alongside the lentil bites for some extra flavor.
Lentil Bites
Step by Step Guide
Boil the Vegetables and Lentils
Take a medium saucepan and heat the olive oil and garlic for a minute or two.
Then add the sweet potato and carrot pieces and let it all sweat for 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the uncooked lentils and cover everything with water.
Bring it to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the lentils and vegetables are cooked through.
Make Fresh Breadcrumbs
Take a slice of wholemeal bread and whizz it in the blender for a minute until you get some fresh breadcrumbs.
When it’s ready empty the crumbs into a mixing bowl and add in some finely chopped chives and a pinch of salt (if using).
Blend the Cooked Lentils and Vegetables
Return to the boiling vegetables and lentils.
Remove from the heat and drain them well.
Then add them to a mixer and blend until you get a smooth, thick paste.
Spoon it into the mixing bowl with fresh breadcrumbs and chives.
Roll Out the Lentil Bites
Mix the ingredients together well.
It should be thick enough to be able to form it into small balls about 2 inches wide.
Cook Until Golden
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan.
Cook the balls for a few minutes on each side until golden.
Mix the Dip
Mix the ingredients together until well combined.
Serve the lentil bites with a yogurt, cumin and honey dip.
Lentil Bites with Yogurt Dip
As the lentil balls are tasty on their own, they work well as finger foods for toddlers and meals for older children too.
Ingredients
Lentil Bites
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cup red split lentils (110 grams)
- 1 sweet potato (110 grams)
- 1 carrot (90 grams)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 slices wholemeal bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch salt
Yogurt Dip
- 150 grams Greek or natural yogurt
- ½ tablespoon honey (for children 1 year old +)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
-
Add a teaspoon olive oil to a medium sized saucepan.
-
Add in the garlic and heat for a minute.
-
Add in the peeled and chopped sweet potato and carrot. Heat for a few minutes and then stir in the dried lentils.
-
Cover with water and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the pieces are soft and cooked through.
-
In the meantime place 2 slices of lightly toasted wholemeal bread into a mixer and blend until you get soft crumbs.
-
Empty them into a mixing bowl together with the finely chopped chives.
-
Return to the boiling vegetables and lentils, drain them and place in the mixer.
-
Blend until smooth and scoop it into the bowl of breadcrumbs and chives. Mix until everything is well combined into a thick mixture.
-
Using a spoon, form the mixture into small balls (a little smaller than a ping pong ball).
-
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan and cook the balls on a medium heat, turning them over until they’re golden on all sides.
-
If you’d like to have the dip, mix the yogurt, cumin and honey together. Serve alongside the lentil bites for some extra flavor.
