Today is a very special day!!! November 14th marks the birthday of my best friend and my wonderful sister-in-law!!! Double joy! To celebrate I decided to cook something dear to my family. I have been craving a Mexican dish for a week or two now. So today was the perfect day to find a vegan rival to my original meaty tacos. Lentils are considered to be the “power house” of protein per pound. Sadly to say…before going vegan I have never cooked with lentils. Today I will share one delicious and not to mention very simple recipe using the ever powerful, yet cheap legume!
Ingredients:
© 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
© 1/2 medium yellow Onion, finely chopped
© 1 small clove Garlic, finely chopped
© 2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
© 1 cup Lentils, rinsed and drained
© 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix (1.25oz)
*Don’t want to use store bough seasoning? Or simply don’t have one on hand? Not a problem!! Substitute the ready package of seasoning with: 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder, 2 Teaspoons ground Cumin, 1 Teaspoon dried Oregano, Salt and Black Pepper to taste.*
Toppings:
© Soft/Crunchy taco shells (may use flour tortillas)
© Shredded lettuce
© Diced tomatoes
© Diced avocado
© Cheese-Daiya is our vegan favorite brand
© Salsa/hot sauce
Directions:
1. Sauté onion and garlic in canola oil in a medium size pan. Stirring frequently, cook until onion is transparent. If onion starts to burn, add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth.
2. Add well rinsed and drained lentils and taco seasoning, mix well. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, mixing frequently to prevent burning.
3. When mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Allow the mixture to simmer the whole time, mixing frequently (every 5-7 minutes) and covering again. Simmer for 25-30 minutes.
4. At the end of cooking time taste lentils, they should hold their body, yet be soft. Gently mash the lentils to the desired consistency using a potato masher: I mashed mine mildly to preserve the coarse texture. Leave the mixture on the hot stove (on off) and allow the mixture to thicken slightly.
5. Prepare the toppings: Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado...use your favorite toppings!
6. Assemble tacos by placing lentil mixture and your choice of toppings.
I do hope you will give these a try! Let me know what you think. May everyday be a special day in your home with your loved one! Happy Monday!!!
©To all the moms who are cooking for the younger kids, the “meaty” sauce is slightly spicy; consider using the seasoning suggested instead of the Taco Seasoning Mix.
Recipe inspired by Michelle Thomas from allrecipes.com
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