Lentil Taco Meat

We are having a big week around here getting ready for lots of company for a very special 1-year-old birthday, so I've been taking it easy in the kitchen. I hope to be back next week with new things on my menu.

This post is about another great recipe from CarlaP! She shared this with me awhile back, and we have it about once a month. It is vegetarian taco meat made out of lentils. It is soooooooo easy - can't stress that enough - and delicious. I always double it when I make it in the crockpot and freeze half in a ziploc bag. We use it in tacos, burritos, as a dip, and we really love it in a taco salad. It also reheats well as leftovers. Besides Carla's notes, I like to mince up some chipotles in adobos to add to the slowcooker. I use brown lentils, I think - whatever they have at the normal grocery store. I've never used red. I don't do any sauteeing of the onion or garlic or anything - I just dump it all straight in the crockpot to cook.

This week I just grabbed it out of the freezer and heated it up.

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And then we just made taco salads with baked Scoops, lentils, lettuce, tomato, cheese, red onions, and jalapenos. Delicious!

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Here is CarlaP's recipe.

Lentil Tacos

(see notes at end)

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped onion (I've used frozen before)
1 garlic clove, minced (I use 1/2 tsp. ready-minced)
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed (I use the brown/green)
1 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2-1/2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth) (you can use one can of Swanson's plus some water)
1 cup salsa (I skip this)
12 hard taco shells (we do soft)

Procedure:

In a large non-stick skillet (that has a lid), saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano; cook and
stir for 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Uncover; cook for
6-8 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in salsa.

(heat up your taco shells while doing the last part of the above)

Spoon about 1/4 cup into each taco shell and top with your favorite taco fixin's.

This taco filling heats up really well in the microwave the
next day and is just as delicious as the first night.

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Carla's comments:
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I can never make this work with the red lentils so I use green/brown ones and cook longer w/ more liquid. You are better off w/ less liquid and adding more if they are
too crunchy after the cooking time.
I usually make this in the crock pot, with green lentils, using the amounts listed,
cooking on high until it's done....couple hours maybe?
When I do crock pot, I just dump everything in together at once. It actually works better for me in the crock pot.
I always make double and freeze 1/2
Add a little cayenne pepper if you like it spicy!
This makes great nacho topping too or base for taco salad too!