Vegetarian Taco Recipe

If you're looking for a lighter and healthier taco recipe, this is it. This fully loaded vegetarian taco recipe will fill you up without filling you out. How? Well, you can thank all the fiber, water, and protein content in the lentil taco "meat" and the slimming radish salsa for that. And don't forget to spoon on some guacamole or cashew sour cream! These tacos will be the perfect treat for your taste buds, as well as your waistline.

Fully Loaded & Slimming Vegetarian Taco Recipe

(serves 4)

Ingredients

Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat

• 1¾ cups black lentils, cooked
• 1 cup walnut pieces
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• 1½ Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3-4 Tablespoons water

Radish Salsa

• 1½ cups radish, diced (about 7-8)
• 1 cup cucumber, seeds removed and diced
• ½ cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 2 scallions, chopped
• ½ cup red onion, minced
• 2 tsp. jalapeno or serrano chile, minced*
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste

Guacamole

• 2 avocado, chopped
• ½ cup grape tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ red onion, minced
• 2 tsp. jalapeno, seeds removed and minced (for medium..add more or less depending on heat tolerance)
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• salt, to taste

Cashew Sour Cream

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight in filtered water
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp salt

Wrap / Taco "Shell"

• 8 romaine lettuce leaves

Instructions

1. Cook the lentils: In a saucepan, combine lentils with 4 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender (cook time will vary depending on the type of lentils you use—see package). Drain excess water. 2. Toast the walnuts: Preheat oven to 300°F. Add walnuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 to 13 minutes, watching closely, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool for a few minutes. 3. Make the salsa: Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl, and toss well. 4. Make the guacamole: Combine all guacamole ingredients in a bowl and mash with a fork until well combined. Leave a little chunky. 5, Make the Cashew Sour Cream: Drain the cashews. Then, place all cashew sour cream ingredients in a bullet blender, and blend on high until smooth. You can add additional water to thin it out as desired. 6. Prepare the taco meat: Add 1 3/4 cups cooked lentils (you'll have some leftover) and all the toasted walnuts into a food processor, along with the spices and salt. Pulse until chopped (make sure to leave texture). (If using a vitamix or blender, blend on the lowest setting). Add in the oil and the water until combined. 7. Assemble: Add a large lettuce leaf onto a plate, top with taco meat, radish salsa, guacamole, and a drizzle of cashew sour cream.

Notes

If you need to substitute, you can use green lentils, as well. Cook according to package instructions. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in sealed containers for a few days. Store each element (taco meat, salsa, guac, etc.) in separate sealed containers. And for the guac, be sure to press all air out of container when storing, or if eating over 4 days, halve the guac recipe, and make it fresh for meals 3 + 4. Then follow assembly directions above, or just enjoy a cold vegetarian taco.

For a printable recipe card, see the original recipe, here.

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About the Author: Maria Marlowe is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who has helped thousands of people improve their health by optimizing their diet. She has created meal plans and programs to help you lose weight, clear up acne, and spend less time in the kitchen yet still eat healthy. She has been featured in Vogue,The New York Times,NBC,Well + Good, and more. Her first book,The Real Food Grocery Guide, will teach you how to eat healthy without going broke. Check out her site,www.mariamarlowe.com, or follow her onInstagram @MariaMarlowe andFacebook for more healthy recipes.

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