Sweet Summer Breakfast Dal

By Melanie Pores

Looking for a healthy way to incorporate more protein and fiber, along with magnesium, calcium, B vitamins and folate in your daily diet? Try including dal, made from split mung mung beans from Honest Weight’s bulk department.

I want to share a simple, but yummy, sweet version of dal that I enjoy eating for breakfast. In the summertime, I like to prepare my sweet breakfast dal the night before, refrigerate it, and then enjoy it cool the next morning, straight out of the refrigerator.

I’ve tweaked this date-sweetened breakfast dal recipe by adding vanilla protein powder and almond butter to my original recipe, for additional flavor and protein.

Melanie’s Favorite Date-Sweetened Breakfast Dal

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup split mung beans soaked in 1 cup water

1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates,  soaked in 1 cup water

4 cups water

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1 tsp ground cardamom 

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup raisins 

2 apples, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes, or 1 cup applesauce 

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Vega Sports)

1/3 cup almond butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp salt

Directions 

Soak the split mung beans in water in one container and chopped, pitted dates in another for at least 30 minutes.

Drain and thoroughly rinse soaked split mung beans. 

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil on high heat. 

Add the split mung beans. Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. 

Add the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, raisins, apples or applesauce, vanilla protein powder, almond butter, vanilla extract, and dates with their soaking water. 

Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes more, adding more water if needed. Go for the consistency of thick oatmeal. 

Turn off the heat and stir in the ghee and salt. Let stand for 5 minutes before eating.

Bio: 

Melanie Pores is a retired bilingual educator, an HWFC member since 1978, and has facilitated HWFC’s Spanish Conversation Group since 2015—currently on Zoom, Fridays 10 am to noon.