Easy two-ingredient vegan bread recipe is packed with protein and low calorie
Finding ways to up your protein intake is always important, especially if you’re hoping to improve your fitness and diet.
As a vegetarian, I am wary of not getting enough protein and can be quite formulaic with what I cook and eat, which has led to deficiencies in the past. It’s very easy to get enough protein in your diet as a vegetarian or vegan, you just need to be a lot less complacent than I sometimes am.
Protein is essential for helping your body to stay healthy and function the way it should. According to Web MD: “Protein is also a critical part of the processes that fuel your energy and carry oxygen throughout your body in your blood. It also helps make antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses and helps keep cells healthy and create new ones.”
Protein is found in an eclectic mix of sources, including whole grains; beans and lentils; nuts and seeds; dairy products; eggs; lean meats; poultry; fish and seafood. One easy and effective way I get more protein is via lentils.
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The humble lentil is a versatile legume. Regardless of whether you opt for green (my favourite for adding to mince-based dishes like lasagne and shepherd’s pie), yellow, brown, black or red, lentils are a brilliant source of protein - plus, they’re low in calories and rich in iron.
One ridiculously easy recipe has ensured my body gets what it needs while remaining low in calories. It’s a very simple red lentil flatbread recipe. Now, I won’t do that annoying thing some vegetarian and vegan people do and claim this is just as good as a regular flatbread. It’s not. At all.
On its own, it’s pretty dull but when used correctly, it can be an incredibly filling and tasty addition to a meal that ups your protein intake while keeping the calorie count low. It's very versatile too - I often use it as a homemade pizza base, topped with a layer of homemade pizza sauce, cheese and mushrooms, and it always goes down a treat.
I also love making this bread to accompany a batch of homemade soup - it’s hearty and comforting, and when dipped into a delicious warm soup, it really hits the spot. TikTok user @healthylivingjames shared an alternative version to whipping up the flatbreads online, and people were impressed.
One person commented: “I'm trying this today”, while another said: “Looks great, sounds great, definitely will try, thank you”, and a third added: “We love these, we make them plain so we can have them with sweet toppings too”.
This two-ingredient dish has quickly become a weekly staple in my kitchen. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients
To make one flatbread - simply double to make two
One cup of dried red split lentils, rinsed and drained
One and a quarter cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: sprinkle of garlic powder and paprika
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth and creamy. It should look like a thick paste
Line a baking tray (I use a circular pizza tray) with greaseproof baking paper and then spoon the mixture into the centre. Spread it out until you have a thin, even layer of the mixture
Place in the centre of the preheated oven and bake for eight minutes. After eight minutes, take it out of the oven and turn it over, then heat for another eight minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Once done, take it out of the oven and enjoy!
If you’re using it as a pizza base, simply add your sauce - or tomato puree - and toppings of your choice, then pop back into the oven until the cheese is melted and the toppings have browned.
It’s worth bearing in mind that too much of anything isn’t good. Web MD added: “Most everyone should get 10% to 35% of their calories each day in the form of protein. You need more calories for activities like biking, lifting weights, or running, but the percentage of protein remains in the same range.”
