Curried carrot and lentil dip – wintertime kid-friendly recipe for snacking
This year, McMaster Children’s Hospital’s (MCH) Children’s Exercise and Nutrition Centre is working with Meant2Prevent – a youth type 2 diabetes prevention initiative – on helping families discover delicious and healthy recipes.
Dr. Constantine Samaan
Type 2 diabetes is increasing among children and youth in Canada and this partnership was borne out of the need to raise awareness. “Preventing type 2 diabetes is critical to help children and youth avoid the need for testing sugars and using diabetes treatments that can include pills or insulin,” says Dr. Constantine Samaan, pediatric endocrinologist at MCH. “In addition, preventing diabetes will maintain the health of different parts of the body including blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys.”
Plant-based perfection
MCH Children’s Exercise and Nutrition Centre and Meant2Prevent have put together another family-friendly snack that’s both easy to make and chockfull of health benefits: Curried carrot and lentil dip.
Anne Marie DiGravio
“Legumes, including lentils, chick peas, kidney beans, and many other plant-based foods, are high in protein, high in fibre, and low in fat,” says Anne Marie DiGravio, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, at MCH. “Increasing your intake of legumes while reducing refined grains, sugary drinks and processed foods, has been shown to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”
Below is the video and recipe for Curried Carrot and Lentil Dip – a delicious alternative to traditional hummus your family will love.
Curried Carrot and Lentil Dip
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 medium carrot, sliced
- 1 cup dry red lentils
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ to ½ tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil or tahini
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
Directions
- In a small pot, cook red lentils and chopped carrots in 4 cups of boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes or until the lentils are soft and tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Add the lentils and carrots to the bowl of a food processor. Add all other ingredients. Adjust seasoning further if desired, adding more or less spices. Blend until smooth.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro if desired. Use as a dip for chopped veggies, pita, or naan bread, or as a sandwich spread!
