Spicy Lentil Tacos

 
Lentils??  Say what? Who even eats that?  In America.  Especially in tacos!

We do.  And it's surprisingly delicious!

First thing, buy some lentils.  Which are a little bit like beans, but cook in only 30 min...  which makes them much more convenient.  They're by all the dried beans and rice stuff.



I'm not really a bean person, but I like lentils.

They are a great pantry food that can be stored for a long time.  And they're super cheap, too.

So, here's how you fix 'em.


First, pour them out onto a cookie sheet and inspect them.  Because they're a natural agricultural product, they often contain small stones or other debris.

Don't skip this step!
  

Here's some of the stuff I picked out... Yikes!

Now, pour them into a colander with small holes and wash them well.  You can also swish them around in a bowl and strain out the water several times.

OK, they're ready to cook with.  Keep in mind that I'm making a double batch of this recipe because I like to freeze half of it.  One batch (one bag of lentils) makes enough for our whole family.  I'll tell you guys the normal recipe, even though my pictures will be a double batch.

Dice up some onions.

Saute them in some olive oil.  Toss in the garlic.

Oooh, yeah, I happen to have fresh oregano!

Add in all the spices and everybody will come to the kitchen and ask what you're makin'

Get some little boy to unwrap your bouillon cubes.

Toss them in with the water.

Bring that to a boil, cover, turn down the heat and let it simmer for around 30 min.

Once the lentils are tender, take the lid off and cook it a little longer to let it thicken up.

 Then make your meal just like you would if that was the normal ground meat mixture.  I threw in some chipotle peppers, but be warned, they're spi-cy!  We usually make some rice for the burritos along with taco shells.  Or just eat it over rice.  Or make it into stew.  It's a very flexible recipe.

Here's the basic recipe, so you can copy and paste it:

Spicy Lentil Tacos

2 finely diced onions

2 t. fresh minced garlic

saute in oil til tender

add in:

2 C. lentils (sorted and rinsed)

2 T. chili powder

1 T. cumin

2 T. oregano

cook and stir 1 min.

add in:

5 chicken bouillon cubes

5 C. water

Bring to a boil, reduce heat; Cover & simmer 30 min. until tender.

Uncover, cook 6-8 min until thickened.

Use for tacos, burritos or serve over rice.

Dehydrated onions and garlic can be substituted to make this a total "pantry" meal.

Vary spices, or throw in some chiles, chipotle peppers or salsa.  It's up to you!

Wasn't that easy?  And the whole meal costs under a buck per person!

Adios, amigos!