It’s the year of the pulses, and it’s time for the world to take legumes more seriously.

My personal favourite, the lentil, may appear nondescript upon first glance. But just like a book or a person, you should never judge a lentil by its modest look: researchers think that there may be some serious superpowers hidden inside this little seed .

At the University of Guelph, Dr. Alison Duncan, lead investigator of the Love of Lentils study, is raving about lentils. Duncan is investigating the potential preventative effects of lentil consumption on the development of type 2 diabetes. “Lentils offer amazing nutrition”, says Duncan, and she believes that they may aid in blood-glucose stabilization. Sounds pretty promising, but wait…. there’s more!

Did you know that in addition to their potential role in diabetes management, regular lentil and pulse consumption may be beneficial for our blood lipid levels, too? An article published in 2014 by The Lancet confirmed that a balanced diet, with the inclusion of pulses, could aid in maintaining healthy blood lipid levels (2).They’re nutrient-dense, high in fibre, and are super versatile – so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I managed to sneak some into a delicious breakfast loaf!

Put on your apron and get baking – this spiced mango and lentil loaf is sure to tickle your taste-buds and impress your friends!

Spiced mango and sprouted lentil loaf

Ingredients:

2 bananas, very ripe

2 eggs

½ cup yogurt, greek

½ cup cooked lentils, sprouted

2 tablespoon shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/2 medium mango, diced

1 cup flour, omega-3 enriched whole wheat flour

1/2 cup flour, all-purpose

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon xylitol

Dash of vanilla

Coconut or olive oil

½ medium apple

Sprinkle of semi sweet chocolate chips for topping

Directions: Boil sprouted lentils in pot with water on medium – high heat until soft, approx. 8 – 10 minutes. Mash bananas in large bowl, adding in yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Sweeten with optional teaspoon of xylitol, and add in sprouted lentils, diced mangoes, and cinnamon. Stir in flour, and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Lightly coat loaf pan with olive oil or coconut oil. Transfer batter into pan, top with chocolate chips, and decorate with sliced apples. Bake at 350 F for 45 – 50 minutes, or until fork comes out clean.

References:

(1) Alison Duncan, PhD, personal interview (2016).
(2) Ley, S. H., Hamdy, O., Mohan, V., & Hu, F. B. (2014). Prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: dietary components and nutritional strategies. The Lancet, 383(9933), 1999-2007.
(3) Ha, V., Sievenpiper, J. L., de Souza, R. J., Jayalath, V. H., Mirrahimi, A., Agarwal, A., … & Bernstein, A. M. (2014). Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 186