There is something about finger food that makes it so appealing to kids. I know with Finn it’s to do with not having to use a knife and fork and it being socially acceptable to just get in there and use his hands. It is all about speed with Finn and I’m constantly banging on at him to slow down and use his cutlery!
These lentil spinach pancakes are an example of the perfect finger food for babies and kids. Lentils are a good source of protein and beta-carotene and also folate, fibre and vitamin C. Spinach adds an iron punch and contains a high level of tryptophan which helps induce sleep (and we all know how important that is!)
I wouldn’t normally soak split red lentils but I find if I soak them over night then they are super easy to blend and make the perfect pancake batter. I added a few spices and chopped spinach to the batter, but, that is it! No flour, milk or eggs are needed; making them great for babies and kids with dairy, gluten or egg allergies.
I love to serve these pancakes with curry, as a quick lunch on their own or dipped into some greek yoghurt. I swear when I add a dip to any dish I serve, it automatically gains appeal. Kids just love to dip and it’s a great way to encourage them to try new foods.
I find them best eaten straight away but the kids seemed happy enough to eat them cold.
Lentil Spinach Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup split red lentils (soaked overnight)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- pinch turmeric
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves (finely chopped into ribbons)
- 1/2 tbsp oil for frying
Instructions
- Blitz all the ingredients (apart from the spinach & oil) in a high speed blender until you achieve a smooth batter. Add a little more water if needed.
- Mix the spinach through the batter.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and fry tablespoons of the batter for approx 2 mins each side
- Serve and enjoy!
Minna says
July 15, 2016 at 7:29 pmWhat a great idea to add lentils to pancakes! 🙂 My toddler loves spinach pancakes, so need to try these. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
July 17, 2016 at 6:42 pmThanks Minna, hope they are a success for you 🙂 We loved them ?
Diana says
July 28, 2017 at 2:37 pmHi Amy,
just wondering if you’ve ever tried this recipe with black lentils…they probably wouldn’t look as appatizing because of the colour but do you think the consistency would still work?
Thanks! 🙂
Amy says
July 31, 2017 at 1:52 amHi Diana, I’ve never tried them with black lentils and I’m not sure how they would work to be honest. They need a longer cooking time and I don’t think they would work in this recipe. Sorry.
ShiroiHato says
March 6, 2018 at 1:15 pmBlack lentils doesn’t work 🙁 I just got a nice fried porridge of black lentils :/
Amy says
March 8, 2018 at 2:40 amHi ShiroiHato, yes it really should be red split lentils for this recipe. They have a much shorter cooking time and are much softer.
Ana says
October 27, 2018 at 1:59 pmI cooked the lentils before and add a little whole wheat flour and it kind of work 🙂
Kristin says
March 10, 2018 at 12:53 amhave you ever tried using the Trader Joe’s already cooked lentils? no
Amy says
March 11, 2018 at 8:10 amHi Kristin, No I haven’t – we don’t have Trader Joe’s here! I’m not sure how they would work, to be honest. What type of lentils are they?
stacey says
July 15, 2016 at 10:58 pmThis is a fantastic idea for a recipe! I love using lentils. But I haven’t used them like this before.
Amy says
July 17, 2016 at 6:42 pmThanks Stacey, I go a little lentil crazy! I just know how much my little one loves them and so use them a lot!
Maria says
July 16, 2016 at 12:57 pmPure genius.. I would never have thought to use the lentils in this way and can’t believe how well these turned out.. My almost 9 month old gobbled down two pancakes in no time!
Amy says
July 17, 2016 at 6:43 pmHi Maria, so glad they were a success for you and your 9 month. 🙂 Thanks for the feedback?
Jessica Moody says
July 18, 2016 at 7:29 pmThanks you for having so many vegetarian options! These look fantastic. I keep looking for great foods for my 11 month old to take to daycare. And your recipes are almost ALWAYS perfect.
Amy says
July 18, 2016 at 7:34 pmHi Jessica, thanks for your kind comment. I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes 🙂
hannah says
July 30, 2016 at 10:11 amDo you not need eggs to bind the mixture together?
Amy says
July 30, 2016 at 4:35 pmHi Hannah, no you don’t need eggs! The lentils make a great batter 🙂
Liz says
August 7, 2016 at 10:14 amHi Amy! As an alternative to soaking the lentils overnight, can you also cook them up beforehand?
Amy says
August 7, 2016 at 9:09 pmHi Liz, I’ve never tried them that way – I wouldn’t cook them too long and would try blending without the liquid first as you may not need as much. Let me know if you try it and if it works. ?
Lisa says
September 1, 2016 at 7:53 amHi, I made this with precooked lentils – maybe the quantity was thrown out but it didn’t bind at all (was just like water) and I had to add flour and egg to them. Any suggestions?
Amy says
September 1, 2016 at 10:37 amMaybe if the lentils were cooked they had a higher water content and this is why it didn’t bind. I’d suggest sticking to the soaked lentils (or even un soaked if you have high speed blender) It works perfectly as a batter 🙂 Hope you have more success next try x
eva says
January 29, 2018 at 6:56 pmthis recipe need raw lentils does not work with cooked lentils
Kasey says
September 9, 2016 at 12:53 pmI like the recipe but would prefer that they did have eggs and Gluten as new studies show that by failing to introduce these food to a child very early on in their life’s, the child is much more likely to build an immune response to the food that has been withheld (meaning an allergy).
Amy says
September 10, 2016 at 9:36 amHi Kasey,
Thanks for your feedback. I have a lot of recipes on my site that contain egg and gluten, I don’t try to avoid it at all. This just happens to be a recipe that doesn’t contain either so I mentioned that it would be good for those that do have allergies. Hope you still decide to try them 😉
Thomas says
September 28, 2016 at 3:46 pmSince this is actually something that has been posted very recent, I wanna add something very important.
If you really wanna talk about allergies and alike, you can’t forget the fact that many people eat certain foods every single day (especially non soaked nuts and seeds and grains, aswell as highly heated/oxidized egg yolks and milk and vegetables oils, and so on) – THAT, in my opinion, is a main cause for allergies and intolerances due to several reasons….
– one being simply an oversaturation of the body (coconut – I know a few people who just can’t stand ANY more coconut due to daily consumption for a period of time, I experienced that myself aswell).
– or that the immune system gets confronted with a lot of toxins these days (even found in home grown food) – and if you eat the same food every day, you probably also eat the same toxins every day, that’s like punching ones shoulder on the same spot on a daily basis with no chance to recover (particles of foods are recognizable in and by the body for up to 72 hours).
– also, as mentioned, lack of proper preparation….especially nut floors from non soaked and dehydrated nuts are consumed very frequently and in large amounts (people who think they eat like our ancestors aka “Paleo”), which can lead to a lot of problems in the long-run. And just to add something to the nuts: they are not soaked, not dehydrated, heated (during baking) which causes oxidation, and then most of them also don’t have a good O6:3 – and even then, only little amounts of the plant based O3 can actually be used by the body after transforming them.
Obviously leaky gut can be involved aswell. And that’s one of the reasons why I personally follow a rotation diet as Paul Chek suggests/follows himself.
I personally, highly doubt that a child is “much more likely” to build an immune response to a certain food when you don’t introduce these foods early, the only “problem” that I see is that certain bacteria from foods such as in raw milk and a lack of certain digestive enzymes would require a more or less long introduction phase (maybe along with some sickness due to the immune system having to adjust to a certain unknown “invader”). I personally would be especially cautious when they come up with certain foods that are a) far from their natural state (gluten containing grains who have several times the gluten contant than in the past, certain fruit which has a lot more sugar than it used to have,…), and b) have been exhaustively bombarded by negative press and therefore been consumed (bought $$) a lot less. As Weston A. Price, in his book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” observed, there have been, for example, Europeans who had to grow up on the native foods provided by their country (regional, seasonal) so they could build a strong and healthy body in accordance to their genetics, but after childhood (I can’t remember if he stated an age), they could go to Africa and adopt the food that these people were eating there (the healthiest people ate/drank fish, meat, milk, blood and vegetables) and were (almost) free of tooth decay and dental arch deformations as the natives in this country.
By the way I’m definitely going to try the lentil pancakes, thanks for the egg free recipe since I don’t do well on them :)! As far as I can remember, lentil pancakes/crêpes/flat breads have been used for hundreds of years in the Indian culture (they fermented them before cooking them to make them even more digestible and the nutrients more absorbable).
All the best, Thomas
Jennifer says
February 20, 2017 at 10:58 amAs a scientist who understands allergy and immunology a fair bit, please take this person’s post with a grain of salt.
eva says
January 29, 2018 at 6:51 pminstead of eggs you can sub for each egg 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp vinegar, works very well
Kirsten says
September 11, 2016 at 2:06 amThis looks great! What’s in the dip?
Amy says
September 12, 2016 at 10:18 amThanks Kirsten, it was just a greek yoghurt dip. Simple!
Jessica says
January 28, 2018 at 6:33 pmGreek yogurt alone? Or mixed in with other ingredients
Amy says
January 28, 2018 at 10:19 pmI often just serve plain Greek yoghurt as a dip. Sometimes I sprinkle smoked paprika in as my kids love it.
KC says
October 6, 2016 at 3:33 pmDo these freeze well? Have you ever tried? Thanks!
Amy says
October 7, 2016 at 8:50 amI’ve never tried freezing them, sorry.
Kim says
July 2, 2017 at 4:34 pmI was wondering this as well! Did you ever try freezing them in the end?
Kaeleigh says
February 5, 2018 at 4:24 pmI freeze them and they work great!
Bex says
January 8, 2019 at 12:25 pmI always freeze everything I make on here and yes these were fine for us 🙂
Christine says
October 15, 2016 at 12:38 amtaste the same and easy to bake them!
Jessica says
October 17, 2016 at 6:07 pmcan you use canned lentils instead?
Amy says
October 22, 2016 at 11:45 pmI’ve never tried canned lentils. I think that the mixture could be a little wet, sorry.
Allison says
October 20, 2016 at 1:18 amThis looks great! I’m excited to try it, especially since I’m always looking for fun new things to share with my son (8 months old and a VERY adventurous eater!) Can you tell me about how many pancakes this recipe yields? I’m planning on making them the same size that are in your pictures. Thanks!
Amy says
October 22, 2016 at 11:47 pmHi Allison, I’m so sorry – I can’t remember as I haven’t made them in a while. I really need to put that into my future recipes. Hope you enjoy x
Laura E Currey-Taseva says
October 21, 2016 at 12:35 amWe made these tonight! I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical when mixing them. I have older kids, five and eight, so I added some extra oomph with the seasonings you suggested and they were a hit! We will definitely make them again and my kids had blast mixing and cooking them! I am also sharing the recipe with my vegetarian parents! I think they’d be great with a chutney of sorts! Thank you!
Amy says
October 22, 2016 at 11:48 pmSo glad they were a hit and thanks so much for sharing and for taking the time to comment x
Alena says
October 26, 2016 at 5:16 pmAnyone tried to bake them instead of frying? just looking for healthier alternative. thanks
Amy says
October 27, 2016 at 1:20 amHi Alena, sorry I have never tried baking them.
Laura E Currey-Taseva says
October 27, 2016 at 1:22 amI did them in a non-stick skillet with just a spritz of cooking spray and they worked great, not greasy at all.
Stephanie says
December 4, 2016 at 10:51 pmI baked them tonight and they came out great! I put a baking sheet and brushed olive oil on it and then flipped halfway through, came out great!
Amy says
December 7, 2016 at 10:12 amThanks for the feedback, Stephanie. I’m so glad they work well when baked. I’ll give it a try next time.
Ruth says
December 20, 2016 at 9:20 pmCould I use regular split lentils instead of split red lentils? I tried 2 stores and they were out of the red split lentils so I just got the regular brownish-beige looking ones
Amy says
December 21, 2016 at 3:54 amHi Ruth, thanks for your comment. To be honest I’m unsure. I have never tried this with other lentils before and I’m not sure how well they would blend and make a pancake batter. Sorry I can’t help more. If you do try it please let me know how it goes. Thanks, Amy
eva says
January 29, 2018 at 6:55 pmI have made these with split yellow peas as well as green lentils and the work as well as the split red lentils lentils . Key is to soak for many hours even overnight and rinse as often as possible very well until the water runs clear , they have to be raw to work cooked will not work.
Virginie says
January 22, 2017 at 11:53 pmI just made these and I can’t believe how fast, easy and great it was! It is the perfect texture I was hoping to achieve for my baby led weaning 7 months old! Thank you! And I can’t wait to eat them with a yummy dip too!
Amy says
January 24, 2017 at 9:36 pmExcellent! So glad they were a hit, thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know ?
Darlene says
February 25, 2017 at 10:56 pmHi, I tried making these but they would fall apart. What am I doing wrong? They look nothing like your picture
Amy says
February 26, 2017 at 5:42 amHi Darlene, I’m not sure what went wrong. Did you use uncooked lentils? Did you drain them before blending? I have never had an issue with them falling apart before. Amy
SB says
October 1, 2017 at 3:39 pmHi. Just tried the recepie but I think I’ve might miss understood the procedure… used red lentils and cooked them as per the pakage an then blend them as per your recepi. The butter just splite once over the hot olive oil. Only realized now that you don’t precook the lentils. Do you only soak them?
Amy says
October 6, 2017 at 10:02 amHi SB, Yes you don’t pre cook, just soak ??
Marlene says
February 26, 2017 at 4:34 amDo you drain the lentils before blitzing them or blitz the lentils and the water they’ve soaked in?
Amy says
February 27, 2017 at 11:21 amHi Marlene, you drain the lentils before blending. Thanks for the question, I will detail that in the recipes now..
Claire says
January 19, 2018 at 6:54 pmMaybe stupid question but how do you drain lentils? 🙂 Tahnks
Amy says
January 19, 2018 at 9:51 pmHi Claire, I just pop them into a sieve to drain.
Kate says
March 3, 2017 at 2:45 amFor those who don’t have time for soaking… I microwaved 1 cup green lentils in 2 cups water for about 10-12 minutes until ‘al dente’. Then I blended using a lil more water until the consistency was like cake batter. I spooned the mix into a greased mini muffin pan and baked at 350 for 12min. They came out perfect. I had originally tried to fry but that just turned messy. Highly recommend the oven baked version. Simple and delicious. Hope the kids love them too.
Amy says
March 7, 2017 at 10:15 amThanks for the feedback and the tips Kate, Ill need to try baking them next time ??
Becka says
April 28, 2017 at 5:36 amThank you SO much for all your recipes! I have a little one with quite a few food allergies and finding fun, new, interesting food has been a struggle until I came upon your website! I make these lentil pancakes the other night and he ate them up (my husband even liked them!)!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Amy says
May 1, 2017 at 4:34 amHi Becka, Thank you so much for your kind comment! I’m so glad your little one enjoyed these and I hope you find some other recipes that you can use. If you have any questions about the recipes or requests then just send me an email through the contact form or amy@www.healthylittlefoodies.com ??
captious says
May 15, 2017 at 6:06 pmI only had time to soak the lentils for 3 hours, but the pancakes came out just like in the photo. My 2-year-old liked them okay once I added salt to them, but she didn’t love them. I think the seasoning would be great for a 10-month-old, but is a little low for older toddlers and adults. Next time I’ll try adding salt, a bit more garlic and spices, and maybe a bit of ginger too.
Do you really manage to cook all the pancakes in just 1/2 a tablespoon of oil? After two batches my cast iron skillet was totally dry, and I had to add more oil.
Amy says
May 17, 2017 at 11:29 amHi Captious, Thanks for your feedback, I hope you have more success with the recipe next time. I never add salt to my recipes as a lot of parents who have babies use my recipes. I find that I have to add salt to many of the recipes and now that my kids are older I add a little to theirs too when needed. I developed this as a base recipe that could be altered to suit taste. I make them to eat alongside a curry and they are great for dipping into some delicious curry sauce.
I use a non stick pan and find I only need a small amount of oil. I’d say a skillet pan would need a bit more.
Loving the sound of adding ginger – yum!
Jenny says
May 23, 2017 at 7:03 pmDoes anyone know if these freeze well? I want to make a large batch for my 1 year old. Thanks!
Mikki says
May 21, 2018 at 3:55 pmSomeone else commented earlier and said that they freeze well.
Jenna says
May 24, 2017 at 3:59 pmI just wanted to thank you for this recipe and share the changes I made. I’ll start by saying I’m a grown woman who’s on a strict elimination diet to try to holistically treat Crohn’s disease – not a baby :). I was at a mama friend’s place yesterday and she was so excited to be able to feed me one of these, because I usually just drink tea. To re-make these for myself, I soaked and then cooked the lentils (this makes them easier to digest). I added more garlic, waaay more turmeric (for anti inflamnation), some olive oil, and I blended the spinach in with the lentils (again, easier on digestion). I’ve just fried them up and they’re amazing!!
Amy says
May 25, 2017 at 12:18 pmHi Jenna, Thank you so much for your lovely message and I am so glad that you enjoyed these. I love the sound of your changes – especially the extra turmeric – yum!
April says
June 15, 2017 at 7:24 pmCould you add in almond milk while blitzing instead of water has anyone tried that?
Amy says
June 16, 2017 at 2:55 amI’ve never tried that, I’m sure it would work though…
Adelina says
August 17, 2017 at 2:55 amAlmond milk will work!
Alison says
July 11, 2017 at 7:44 pmThis is a fantastic recipe! I just wanted to share with others that with a few minor changes this makes a great pizza crust! My gluten eating family loved it. Soak and blitz up the lentils as described, adding 3 cloves of garlic, some salt (1/2 tsp if desired), a tsp of oregano, 1/2 tsp baking soda (for a little lift), and bake on a parchment paper covered sheet pan. Grease the parchment paper before you spread the batter into a rectangle shape. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes without the toppings. Remove from oven and add desired toppings. Bake again at the same temperature for an additional 7-10 minutes until your toppings are heated and cheese (if using) has melted. Makes a nice thin crust pizza that everyone cam enjoy! Thanks for the recipe!
Alison says
July 11, 2017 at 7:46 pmPlease use baking powder in the above modification, not soda. Thanks!
Amy says
July 18, 2017 at 3:33 amHi Alison, I am loving the sound od this and I will be trying. Thanks for sharing!
Adelina says
August 17, 2017 at 2:54 amJust want to pop in and thank you for sharing this great recipe/ idea on making a simple, super healthy and great food for a toddler! We’re a vegan family so finding a good, simple recipe for our little one is always a treasure! I’ve added a good Tbsp of hemp heart seeds for added nutritional kick. In place of using all spinach, I’ve also sautéed some kale to slightly soften it a bit and throw it in as well. It turns out tasty as well!
Amy says
August 17, 2017 at 10:57 amHi Adelina, thanks for the feedback and I love the sound of your modifications. I’d have never thought to add hemp heart seeds to this, I must try it next time! i hope you can find some more recipes ??
Kelly says
August 25, 2017 at 6:47 pmI didn’t read the recipe close enough and pureed everything, they turned out great! They were a very pretty green color! Ha! My little one loved them with the yogurt. She can’t dip anything herself yet, so i would just spread the yogurt on top. She’s also allergic to eggs, so thank you for making a fritter/pancake recipe with no eggs. 🙂
Amy says
August 29, 2017 at 12:34 pmSo glad your little one loved these, maybe she loved them because they were a pretty green colour ?
Flore says
September 5, 2017 at 9:50 amVery nice recipe. And it is great that it doesn’t need any egg because of my toddlers’ allergy.
I don’t know yet if my picky toddler will adopt it, but I tried and I really do.
I have added a bit of salt, water (to help my KA blender), coriander and lemon zest. And I did the recipe with radish leaves instead of spinach.
They are really easy to cook and flip (with virgin coconut oil).
Nice texture: crispy outside, soft inside. Nice color, it really looks great!
Thanks for this recipe!
Amy says
September 6, 2017 at 2:41 amThanks Flore, so glad you liked them – did they pass the picky toddler test? I love the the sound of using radish leaves ??
Flore says
September 11, 2017 at 11:34 amHi Amy, my toddler loved the first sight but did not enjoy eating it.
But I would like to try again, because I think It may be because of the dry texture. Actually when just cooked, they were very soft, but few hours later, when I served them, the softness was gone. I will try again and cook last minute.
Flore says
September 21, 2017 at 6:14 pmI’ve done the recipe another time, but this time I cooked the pancakes just before the dinner and my toddler liked them. Cut into sticks (kind of thick French fries) to dip into the cream-soup.
Amy says
September 24, 2017 at 11:06 amGlad he liked them Flore, I like the idea of cutting them into sticks. ??
Mandi says
September 8, 2017 at 12:02 amThis blog is geared to baby/toddler eating, but let me tell you, it’s so amazingly helpful as an adult who is looking to lose weight and eat a healthier, plant based diet. I meal prep several of your baby lead weaning foods so I always have a healthier snack option or the start of easy breakfasts and lunches, especially on the go. I can chuck several of these, and something fruity like the raspberry coconut breakfast bites into a cooler bag and not have to buy lunch out. It’s also amazing for getting my teenage daughter to snack on better for her foods on the weekends, so she’s getter her five a day and whole foods. Thank you so very much for your recipes, I keep coming back for more.
Amy says
September 9, 2017 at 1:13 amHi Mandi, You have just made my day, thank you for taking the time to tell me and I’m just delighted that you enjoy my site. I’m so glad that families with older kids are using these recipes too. Thanks again, Amy ??
Margie says
October 2, 2017 at 1:59 pmAre split lentils different than regular? Can I split them in my processor? I have the red in bulk so I no longer remember how they were labeled.
Amy says
October 6, 2017 at 10:14 amI’m not sure how this would work with whole lentils as the cooking time would be longer. I’m not sure if you can split them in food processor, it isn’t something I have ever tried. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Ami says
January 28, 2018 at 1:36 amI just made them tonight with regular red lentils (not split) and they came out delicious. DH and I devoured them and my son seemed to like them too. I did end up adding a little more water until I got a nice smooth batter.
Amy says
January 28, 2018 at 2:08 amThanks Ami, so glad they were a success with the whole family, thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Sonia says
December 6, 2017 at 10:04 amThey were delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
December 7, 2017 at 8:44 amThanks Sonia! So glad you liked them, thanks for taking the time to comment.
Cate says
December 31, 2017 at 12:55 amI can’t seem to make them stay together is there some secret to frying them?
Amy says
January 2, 2018 at 12:55 amHi Cate, I’m not sure what is going wrong for you. Did you cook the lentils as this would result in the mixture being too wet. I just soak the raw lentils over night and blended. Are you using red split lentils? I can’t think of any other reasons that this wouldn’t work for you.
Cindy says
February 5, 2018 at 6:35 pmFollowed the directions exactly and they cooked up nicely! One thing I would specify though is whether the 1 cup of lentils is pre or post soaking because that changes things. I used 1 cup post soaking and the proportions seemed spot on. I also added some salt and pepper. Now the true test is to see if my very picky 15 month old will eat them 🙂 If not, I will because they are yummy. Thank you!
Amy says
February 6, 2018 at 9:59 amThanks Cindy, glad you liked them…..did your 15month old eat them? I actually used 1 cup of lentil pre soak but I’m glad it worked for you post soak too. Now that you have pointed that out, I can see that it isn’t really that clear. I’m actually trying to go through old recipes and give more detail so points like this are really useful. Thank you!
Carlene says
May 16, 2018 at 9:54 amHi,
Made these yesterday for my 8 month baby girl, she loved them – kept stuffing more in her mouth
I too was unsure on whether the cup of lentils was pre or post soaking. Can you clarify? I soaked 1 cup of lentils overnight which ended up with over 2 cups of soaked lentils – they cooked well but needed much longer than 2 mins side – should it have been 1 cup of lentils after they had soaked?
Also how long will the batter keep for? Ended up with a lot of leftover batter.
Many thanks
Amy says
May 19, 2018 at 10:29 amHi Carlene, So happy your little one loved these!
The cup of lentils was pre-soaking. I used red split lentils and found that 2 mins each side was enough but this may vary. I would usually fry them all and then freeze leftovers. I then just reheat before serving.
Susan says
February 7, 2018 at 2:04 pmI love these! Thanks for posting.
Amy says
February 8, 2018 at 1:56 amThanks Susan!
Lauren Harvey says
February 13, 2018 at 1:24 amHi, i followed instructions using a vitamin and the bedtime never blended into a batter…stayed pretty hard. Did I do something wrong?
Jennifer says
March 2, 2018 at 8:26 pmThese were very tasty! I threw some nutritional yeast in mine for some cheesy flavour. My teens ate them up for an after school snack no problem. Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
March 3, 2018 at 10:55 amGreat idea, I’m going to try that next time. Thanks so much for the feedback and idea!
Courtney says
March 21, 2018 at 3:04 pmWe don’t have fresh spinach where we live… do you think these would work using frozen spinach? Probably not, since that would add more moisture…but hopefully, because i want to try these!
Amy says
March 22, 2018 at 2:50 amHi Courtney, I have never actually tried it with frozen spinach. I wonder if it would work if you were to defrost the spinach and then squeeze the water.
Helen says
March 30, 2018 at 3:37 pmHi,
Thanks for this recipe. Tried these this morning, but I’m findjng them to be super pungent. I followed the recipe exactly, except i only used one clove of garlic instead. Wondering if you have ever tried them with sautéed pulverized garlic instead? I haven’t given it to my little one but I have a feeling that he’s not going to like the pungency.
Amy says
April 3, 2018 at 3:19 amHi Helen, thanks for your feedback. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We have just moved house and I’ve been crazy busy with it all (plus we have had no internet). I understand what you mean with regards to the garlic, I think the sauteed garlic would be great in this. You could also miss it out altogether and add other herbs and spices.
How did they go with your little one?
Mikki says
May 21, 2018 at 4:03 pmHello, I just made these this morning for my 8-month old and I must admit that I ate a few before they made it to her high chair for eating. The smell of the spices and garlic blended together was delightful and made me want try them. I used a non-stick skillet and I followed the recipe as written and made no modifications. They turned out well. I found that spreading the tablespoon worth of batter helped me stay true to the two-minute cooking time per side. I used a vitamiz blender and needed to add a bit of water. My consistency was semi-thick but worked well. Do you think it should be a bit more on the runny side?
Served up a half of a pancake to my daughter, she enjoyed it and I cannot wait until I can give her some greek yogurt for dipping. I have printed off a few more of your recipes and will keepp making wholesome snacks for my little foodie in training.
If I make them in the future for the adults, I would probably kick the flavour up a notch and add some actually curry to them.
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Amy says
May 23, 2018 at 11:40 amThank you Mikki, I love that you had success with the recipe and that your 8 month old enjoyed them. I think it sounds like your batter was the perfect thickness. I should really update the post with some process shots or a video. It is hard to explain with words only.
Hope you enjoy the other recipes. Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate.
Jennifer says
June 25, 2018 at 5:28 pmHI!
I have green lentils (or so I think… the package just simply says “Lentils” and they are green haha). Will those work or do they need to be split red lentils?
Thanks!
Amy says
June 27, 2018 at 10:44 amHi Jennifer, I don’t think green lentils will work the same. They have a longer cooking time than red lentils.
STEPHANIE says
July 24, 2018 at 11:42 pmThese are wonderful! My 7 month old enjoyed it and so did I! Thanks for such a simple recipe with whole ingredients!
Amy says
July 26, 2018 at 5:50 pmThanks Stephanie, so happy they were a success for you 🙂
Tina says
August 7, 2018 at 2:40 pmThese are SO GOOD. I know it’s suggested for babies, but I’m a 25 year old who just graduated from college and omg these are so delicious, and so nutritious! I recently found out I am going through some reactive hypoglycemia at the moment, so whatever food I do eat, I need to make “count!” These are so well balanced in terms of flavor, the texture is delicious, and the nutrient profile is awesome. I eat these with a little dollop of greek yogurt (trying to avoid dairy, but I need the calcium). These also go really well with homemade tzatziki as well! I followed the recipe exactly how it is written. I then sauteed these in olive oil, but I used an olive oil spray to minimize the amount of oil I needed! Worked like a charm. The texture and flavor of these are unreal. Thank you so much!!
Amy says
August 14, 2018 at 10:01 amThanks Tina! You have made my day. So glad you like them and thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment 🙂
Alison says
August 24, 2018 at 6:31 pmLove this recipe! My little one has been enjoying them for months. She’s getting older now so I was going to incorporate dips. What kind of curry do you eat with them? Is it not too spicy? Thank you!!
Amy says
August 25, 2018 at 1:08 amHi Alison, I’m so happy your little one loves these. They are great with curry too.
I have a couple of curry recipes on the blog you might want to try.
A fruity chicken curry that is mild (depending on the curry powder you use) and has added fruit sweetness which helps with the heat. https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/finns-fruity-chicken-curry/
I also have a sweet potato and chickpea curry, again the sweetness of the sweet potato helps with the heat. https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/sweet-potato-chickpea-curry/
I often just add yoghurt if a curry is too hot for the kids. That really helps and the kids love all the flavour of curry.
Danielle says
August 31, 2018 at 5:54 pmI just made these today, and I am very pleased with how they turned out! My toddler has a gluten sensitvity, so I am always looking for inventive (gluten and/or grain free) recipes that are simple to make for toddler hands. This met that need perfectly!There are just a couple of issues that I ran into:
– I took the 1c red lentils, soaked as 1c lentils,dry measure, then soak in 2c water. I realized the next morning after the soak that I had much more on my hands than what the recipe called for! Not a big issue, they were such a hit that I think the leftovers will not last long!
– I used a small non-stick pan, and the pancakes soaked up the oil very easily as I cooked them, with me adding oil to the pan with each new set I poured in.
– After tasting the first pancake that came off the pan, I felt that the lentils were a little too bland , not bringing the spices added through very well. I added 1/2 tsp. salt to the batter and it helped a lot. My toddler preferred it this way too!
Thank you for such a easy and original recipe! I look forward to trying many more!
Amy says
September 3, 2018 at 12:31 amHi Danielle, thanks so much for your feedback. I agree that a little salt does really help the flavour. I should mention that in the recipe. I also agree that depending on your pan, you will also need more oil.
I’m so happy your toddler enjoyed these, thanks for taking the time to rate and give valuable feedback.
Cassie says
September 29, 2018 at 5:14 pmHi Amy! Thanks for this recipe. I have a 13 month old who is allergic to egg, soy, dairy, wheat, and peanuts…so it is nearly impossible to find recipes. I have never used lentils for cooking before. Do I buy hard lentils and soak overnight and that is it? They will be soft enough to blend? Thanks for the help!
Amy says
October 2, 2018 at 1:45 amHi Cassie, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. If you buy red split lentils and soak overnight they are soft enough to blend. Hope you enjoy them!
Angela says
October 18, 2018 at 3:14 amWould it work to put apinach in blender too instead of ribboning it?
Deb says
October 29, 2018 at 11:14 pmHi. Can you blend the spinach with the lentils? I was thinking it might be better for my 8month old to eat it that way. Thanks.
Amy says
October 30, 2018 at 9:39 amHi Deb, yes I’m sure you could. It may change the colour of the batter though.
Florence says
November 21, 2018 at 5:53 pmI made it with red lentils but cooked them beforehand as I wanted to have the pancakes ready same day.
It does not work!! 🙁
I have a very watery batter that won’t cook. I will try addind flour to see if I can save this and will stick to soaked lentils for the next try. 😉
Amy says
November 23, 2018 at 3:21 amHi Florence,
I’m guessing there was too much liquid if you cooked them beforehand. Did you manage to save them?
Florence says
November 26, 2018 at 12:40 pmYes with some flour but need to make your recipe and compare the end result to see if I really saved them hahha
Amy says
November 28, 2018 at 1:51 am🙂
Slava says
December 19, 2018 at 7:04 pmMine fell apart 🙁 I had to add an egg and almond flour
Amy says
December 20, 2018 at 12:53 amHi Slava, sorry to hear this. Did you use red split lentils? Did you soak them? I have never had an issue with them falling apart.
Andrea says
January 10, 2019 at 11:03 pmIs there a major difference between red split lentil and red lentil? Do I need to tailor the recipe in any way using red lentil?
Amy says
January 13, 2019 at 10:26 pmHi Andrea, I’m not sure how the recipe would work using whole red lentils as they have a longer cooking time and hold their shape more. As I haven’t tried the recipe with whole lentils I can’t say for sure how it would work, sorry.
Ania says
January 23, 2019 at 11:32 amCan these be frozen? Or are they best served when cooked?
Amy says
January 23, 2019 at 11:14 pmHi Ania, I can’t remember if I have ever frozen these so can’t say for sure. I don’t see why they wouldn’t. I prefer these freshly cooked but my kids are happy to eat them cold.
Debra Sabah Press says
February 19, 2019 at 7:54 pmCan you bake or air fry these?
Amy says
February 21, 2019 at 10:13 amHi Debra, I have never tried so can’t say. Sorry.
Maria Robinson says
March 12, 2019 at 8:56 amHi,so you don’t need to cook lentils and spinach?
Thanks from Malta
Amy says
March 13, 2019 at 10:14 pmHi Maria, no need to pre-cook the lentils – just soak overnight. (red split lentils) No need to pre-cook spinach either
Lindsay says
April 18, 2019 at 11:00 amThank you so much for this great idea. I’m always looking for simple, real foods to serve my little guys. We also have an egg/dairy allergy so this was an awesome find! I was sadly out of paprika and used chili powder instead – turned out great! Thank you!
Amy says
April 20, 2019 at 11:45 pmHi Lindsay, so glad you liked these and that it suits your little one’s dietary needs. Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
georgia says
April 18, 2019 at 7:32 pmcan i use lentil flour instead?and in how much?
Amy says
April 20, 2019 at 11:44 pmHI Georgia, I’m not sure how it would work with lentil flour. You wouldn’t need to soak overnight and the ratios will probably be different. I’d have to experiment before I could recommend how to make it with lentil flour. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Kat Hiby says
May 4, 2019 at 9:24 pmHi I’m slightly worried about using uncooked lentils as I have heard they can be very undigestable? I love the sound of the recipie but don’t want to give my little one a bad tummy. Is it because you use split lentils that they are easily digested?
Amy says
May 6, 2019 at 11:36 pmHi Kat,
Sorry for the delay but your message was filtered into my spam messages. The lentils are soaked overnight and then blended. The batter is then cooked. My boys never had an issue with them but if you don’t feel comfortable maybe you could wait a few months longer before trying them. Alternatively, you could try him with a small piece first and see how it goes or you could try baking the pancakes instead of frying.