I love to talk about food — particularly ways to make healthy eating more attractive and attainable — which is a good thing since it is not unusual for me to strike up a conversation with a stranger and suddenly be to listening stories about their struggles with healthy eating.
I talk to people about their diet and eating habits daily. There are unique challenges, but there are also many common struggles. Lately I find myself offering the same advice over and over, eat lentils.
- To a vegetarian who struggles to eat enough protein — eat lentils.
- To an expectant mother who needs iron and fiber — eat lentils.
- To a busy mom who needs a quick and healthy dinner — eat lentils.
- To my frustrated friend who wants to host dinner for her extended family with numerous dietary restrictions, you guessed it — cook them lentils.
Over and over I suggest lentils as the solution to nutritional struggles. A power house of nutrients, lentils are one of the super-est of the super foods and they are quick and easy to cook (simmer with water until tender).
It turns out my advice is not only practical it is trendy. Throughout 2016, the United Nations is celebrating the International Year of Pulses. Pulse is the broad term for dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) and lentils.
The trouble is, most people I talk to eat a fairly typical American diet which does not include lentils. Many have had lukewarm to unpleasant encounters with a grayish-green bowl of lentil soup that dampened any interest in revisiting lentils as a whole. When I encourage anyone to try an unfamiliar food, I look for ways to make an easy swap rather than an abrupt change.
Which leads me to another reason I love lentils: these little legumes are a fantastic blank slate for seasonings. You don’t have to buy the muddy green ones, either. There are all sorts of varieties. Some are better for soups while others make lovely salads. All lentils are excellent flavor sponges.
In our house, taco night is always a big hit. The kids and I love it for the same reason, everyone gets to make their own meal. Most of the ingredients for tacos are set out in individual containers, cheese, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo or salsa, and so on. However, the protein is made from scratch specifically to fill our tacos.
Not long ago, I decided to break out of the usual routine and replaced our ground beef with lentils. I also made things quick and easy by cooking the lentils in the slow cooker for a few hours. While they simmered, the lentils absorbed the familiar taco seasoning flavors. When the kids arrived home that evening, they immediately wanted to know what smelled so good. They still put more cheese on their tacos than anything else. Across the table, I made myself a big taco salad with nice scoop of taco flavored lentils in the middle and everyone was happy.
If lentils sound strange and out of your comfort zone, but tacos are staple on the weekly menu, I highly suggest giving this recipe a try. Lentil tacos won’t be the same as your usual ground beef fare but you’ll find they are quite enjoyable and that is a darn good place to start.
Slow cooker lentil tacos
1 cup dry lentils
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
2 medium carrots, finely grated
1 small red onion, finely grated
1 tablespoon low-sodium taco seasoning
2 cups water
Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with avocado crema and your favorite taco accompaniments.
Prep time: 10 minutes; cook time: 2 to 8 hours; yield: 4 (1 cup) servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 212 calories, .6g fat, 127mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate, 17g fiber, 5g sugar, 14g protein
Avocado crema
½ cup (1 small) avocado
½ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt
Blend everything in a food processor until smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days.
Prep time: 10 minutes; yield 8 (2 tbsp) servings.
Approximate nutrition per serving: 32 calories, 2g fat, 153mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, less than 1g sugar, 2g protein
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