Place the lentils in a medium saucepan with 1 ½ cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan, leaving the lid slightly ajar so that the water doesn’t boil over. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach and cook 2-3 minutes until wilted. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the vegetables from the pan along with the flour, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and about half of the cooked lentils. Pulse until walnuts are finely chopped and ingredients are combined. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the remaining lentils.
Coat a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Form the lentil mixture into balls using a small cookie scoop, about 1 ½ tablespoons each. Place the balls on the sheet pan and flatten them slightly with your hand. Brush the tops of the patties with the remaining tablespoon of oil.
Bake in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes. Flip and cook another 10-12 minutes.
To make the sauce, puree the roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, yogurt and a pinch of salt together in a food processor until smooth (for an even smoother consistency, puree in a blender).
Serve the patties in pita bread pockets with spinach or lettuce, tomato, and cucumber slices. Alternatively, patties can be served on a bed of vegetables. Top with sauce. Devour!
Notes
One serving (sauce): Calories 75; Fat 5.6g (Sat 0.4g); Protein 3.1g; Carb 3g; Fiber 1.3g; Sodium 50mg