Lentil Tacos | GreenSmoothieGirl
Are ya’ll ready for this superb and COMPLETELY VEGAN Lentil Taco recipe? Because my mouth is watering just typing this. It’s so simple; it only has four base ingredients. And bonus: it’s much healthier than the beef version.
So let’s talk lentils.
Lentil Tacos
A brilliant vegan twist on the beef taco, this lentil taco tastes even better than the original
- 2 cups rinsed lentils
- 1 pkg taco seasoning
- water
- whole wheat tortillas
Optional Taco Toppings
- shredded lettuce
- chopped tomatoes
- diced avocado
- chopped onion
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Make lentils according to package directions, adding the taco seasoning to the cooking water.
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Once cooked, add a spoonful or two of cooked lentils into a whole wheat tortilla and top with your favorite taco toppings.
Lentils are part of the legume family (say it with me, luh-gyoom), one of the most nutritious and versatile food families around. A cup of lentils has 16 grams of protein! That’s more than we have even in a quart of our green smoothie recipe. And this Lentil Tacos recipe has two cups itself.
Lentils are also very low in fat, contain no cholesterol (that fat we all need for our cell membranes — but in much smaller amounts than the typical American consumes) and is high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium.
Folate is a B vitamin, crucial for cell growth and metabolism. So crucial, in fact, that it’s given to expecting mothers to ensure their baby can grow.1 But, it’s usually given in the synthesized version folic acid. Folate is the natural, food-given type, and the kind you really need. It doesn’t absorb too quickly, meaning we won’t get an excess if we find this B vitamin in our diet rather than the shelf (but always check with your doctor while pregnant to make sure you’re getting the amount you and your baby need). Add that to the potassium, iron, and magnesium, and the Lentil Tacos recipe just keeps looking better.
[Related Recipe: Indian Green or Yellow Dahl]
[Related Article: How To Eat Legumes]
Sources:
- Greenberg, James A et al. “Folic Acid supplementation and pregnancy: more than just neural tube defect prevention.” Reviews in obstetrics & gynecology vol. 4,2 (2011): 52-9.
Tags: legumes, lentil, mexican, organic, taco, vegan
Categories: Main Dishes
