Meatless Mondays: Red Lentil Tacos

This is a fun easy recipe for Red Lentil Tacos that I made up recently. Red Lentils look more orange than red. And when you cook them up, they are a really light orange color. But, the red lentils tend to cook up faster and are tastier than regular brown or green lentils. This is a satisfying and tasty, no-cholesterol dinner idea for a small family. Just double the ingredients if you have a bigger family. And, you can save some for another meal if you have leftovers.

The combination of lentils and corn tortillas will be high in protein and minerals. One cup serving of the lentils alone has 40% of your RDA for protein for the day at only 232 calories. Lentils are high in iron and also have antioxidants similar to red wine. They are high in fiber to help with your weight loss efforts and heart health. In addition, red lentils have magnesium and folate to help with your nerves and cardiovascular system.

Red Lentil Taco Filling

• 1 cup red lentils (You can usually get these in the health food store or possibly in the health food section of your local grocery store. If they don’t have it, you can special order it from the manager.)
• 3 cups water for soaking
• about 2-3 cups additional water for cooking
• Let the lentils soak in a small casserole dish or medium bowl with 3 cups water for 6-8 hours. You can just start them in the morning and they will be ready to cook in the evening for your dinner. Drain the soaking water off in order to release the toxic phytic acid common with beans and legumes. Put the lentils in a pot with just enough fresh, new water to cover the lentils about 1 inch above the lentils. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover with a lid and simmer at a low boil for 30 minutes or until soft and tender. Drain off the excess water off and save for later as an addition to a soup recipe. (It has a lot of nutrients, and it’s better to not waste it).

• 1 Tablespoon your choice taco seasoning
• 1 cup your choice salsa
• 1/2 tsp Real salt, Himalayan salt, or salt of your choice, optional
• Mix the salsa, seasoning, and salt with the drained red lentils. You can use a potato masher to mix or use a food processor for 1 minute if you like. Set mix aside and prepare the corn tortillas.

Corn Tortilla Tacos

• 10 corn tortillas, your choice; white corn, yellow corn, Masa, or sprouted corn tortillas
• 1 tsp extra-virgin coconut oil or olive oil for each group of three tortillas
• Spread the oil over the whole pan with spatula and insert three corn tortillas side by side. Move the small tortillas around with the spatula to spread the oil evenly over the three tortillas. Flip a few more times to further coat the tortillas. They will become soft and pliable. Fry each side of the stiff corn tortillas in a wide skillet until lightly browned. Then store them on a plate.

To serve, just spoon 1/4 cup filling into the center of each corn taco and fold over. Enjoy!

Photo credit: sylwia via BigStock

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