Meatless Monday: Lentil Taco Salad

Pin It

Monday, Monday.  Can't trust this day.  The Mama's and The Papa's have had it right all along.  Lentil Taco Salad on meatless Monday?  I wasn't sure I could trust it either.  Fact of the matter is, it had Paul & I both jumping for joy.  Moo-ve over beef (sorry I couldn't resist), Lentils, it's what's for dinner.  We loved our Sloppy Lentils and this recipe inspired from the The Curvy Carrot will definitely be squeezed into our Lentil repertoire from time to time.  Every other day, Every other day of the week is fine, but when you have Lentil Taco Salad it can make Monday a bit more bearable.

Pico de Gallo is like a dream come true.  Why?  It reminds me of summer, when tomatoes and peppers are overflowing out of my grandpa's garden just waiting for me to sink my teeth into them.  I get my green thumb from him.  As you can see, the tomato plants we are growing in a garbage can on our porch is Out. Of. Control.  Can't wait for those juicy reds to come our way.  You'll be the first to know. 

This dish is healthy and satisfying.  Seasoned with home made taco seasoning and topped with a cool creamy 2% Greek Yogurt sauce, this dish has all the flavor of regular taco salad without the added sodium and fat.  The directions look long, but it's as easy to make as regular tacos, with the exception that the lentils will need longer to cook. 

Lentil Taco Salad
as adapted from The Curvy Carrot

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Lentils: 
1 T Olive Oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed well
1 recipe Taco Seasoning (as follows)
2 1/4 c vegetable broth
Salt & Pepper to taste

Serve with:
Lettuce
Corn
Avocado
Handful of Tortilla chips
Pico de Gallo
Greek Yogurt Sauce

For the Pico de Gallo:
3 Tomatoes, diced
1/2 of lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Green Onions, chopped
8 leaves of Cilantro, roughly chopped
Sea Salt and Pepper
Optional: cayenne pepper

For the Greek Yogurt Sauce:
10 oz Greek Yogurt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin

Taco Seasoning
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 t cumin
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you like things)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet to medium.  Heat Olive oil.  Sauté garlic and onions until softened.  Add dried lentils and taco seasoning.  Heat until lentils are heated through, about 1 minute.  Add vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils are softened.

Mix together Pico ingredients and Greek Yogurt sauce ingredients.  Refrigerate until serving.

In single bowls, layer in tomato, corn, cooked lentils, pico, avocado & Greek Yogurt.  Serve with a handful of your favorite tortilla chips (skip this step if you are a health nut).

Bon Appétit!
 
And all mixed up.  This meatless Monday is not so bad after all. 

What do you do to get through Mondays? Pin It