Lentil Tacos

These were a-ma-zing, Amazing, I say. I was a little skeptical, but they came out better than I expected, and quite honestly, Scot and I like them better than a regular taco!  The seasoning had just enough kick in it, the texture was right on (not too mushy or crunchy), and they were so filling. I made them for some non-vegan friends who are staying with us right now, and they both agreed that they really liked them and wanted the recipe!

The best part? All four children (three and under) ate them up! I was impressed. Even my little dude ate them happily! We served these with some sweet potato fries (YUM!) and that just made the meal. You can top these with whatever you would usually top tacos with - we did tomato, sour cream, cheese, and shredded greens. Olives would have been nice, too, but I didn't have any on hand - next time I will. :)

Oh - and I doubled this recipe (since it takes 30 mins to just simmer!) and froze the other half for later use!



Lentil Tacos
Feeds 6

Active Time: 10 minutes

Simmer Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  Serve with a quinoa salad of some sort and some sweet potato fries.

What you'll need:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup dry lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 12 thin whole wheat “soft taco” tortillas OR hard taco shells
• Taco toppings of your choice: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, shredded cheese

What you'll do:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add lentils and spices and stir for about 1 minute.
• Add broth, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally. Uncover and cook for about 5 minutes until thick but not dry. Slightly mash lentils.
• Stir in salsa and heat through.
• Spoon the mixture into the taco shells or tortillas and top with whatever you want!  

Nutrition Facts (2 tacos, hard shells*):

Calories 343 (Calories from fat 89); Total Fat 10g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 787mg; Potassium 446mg; Total Carbohydrate 52g (Dietary Fiber 14g); Sugars 6g; Protein 12g; Vitamins/Minerals - Vitamin A 386 IU; Vitamin C 4mg; Calcium 72mg; Iron 3mg; Folate 188mcg

*Nutrient calculation does not include toppings, as those will vary.