Meatless Monday: Lentil Tacos

I haven't forgotten about Meatless Monday, but it has been getting shifted around the week lately. Hubby and I are big fans of tacos and burritos. However, you can very easily make them meatless with the addition of lentils.

Lentils are a great legume because they don't need to be soaked like many other dried beans. You just pop them into the pot with some water, cook for 20 minutes, and they're ready. They also have a great texture that I think makes them an ideal substitute for ground beef in tacos.

Lentil Tacos
makes 8 small tacos

What You'll Need:

1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lentils
1 can black beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 a small can of tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs taco seasoning
Hard or soft taco shells
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, or lettuce.

The Process:
   Bring the water to a boil in a pan with high sides. Add the lentils, cover, and turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the onion in a small pan with a little olive oil until almost soft. Add the garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes.

   Once the water is nearly absorbed after simmering, add the tomato paste and combine well. Stir in the black beans, onion & garlic mixture, and your taco seasoning. Cook on medium-low heat for an additional 10 minutes.

If you are using soft shells, be sure to heat up a little oil in a pan so you can warm up the shells before serving. I prefer to do the shells on the stove, but you could also heat them up in a batch in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Then build your tacos to suit your fancy and enjoy!