No-meat taco filling

I've tried a few different kinds of meatless tacos, some of which I've posted on this blog in the past. But I wanted something that felt more like traditional tacos. I've tried chickpeas, and those suckers fall right out of the shell! Refried beans are too...sticky? 

Finally I hit on red lentils--they soften up and get almost mushy, but not as mushy as refried beans, and have I think less strong lentil flavor than green lentils, although you can certainly use those as well. Anyway, I loved these! I recommend using the homemade taco seasoning, but if the ingredient list overwhelms you, feel free to use a mix. 

Enjoy eating something cheap, low-fat, high-fiber, nutritious, and soooo edible!

Delicious Meatless Tacos

Sources: Allrecipes, Happy Herbivore, and Skinny Bovine

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup red lentils, rinsed (you can also use green, just cook for longer)

2 1/2 cups water

1 T. soy sauce

2 tsp. lime juice (or lemon)

2-3 T. taco seasoning OR seasoning blend below

Salt & Pepper

Hot Sauce (Tapatio, Tabasco, Sriracha, Louisiana-style, whatever you've got)

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, saute onion in nonstick spray or a thin layer of water until translucent. Add remaining ingredients except salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover, boiling until water is absorbed and lentils are soft--about 20-25 minutes for red lentils, and 35-45 minutes for green lentils. 

Add salt & pepper to taste (I made the homemade taco seasoning, which is pretty salty, so I didn't add extra salt or pepper), and add hot sauce to taste.

Serve in toasted taco shells with tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, lettuce, and cheese if desired.

Taco seasoning blend:

1 T. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne powder

1/4 tsp. oregano