Lentil Walnut Tacos with a Pineapple Mango Salsa

If Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday had a baby, they would make lentil walnut tacos. These vegan tacos are delicious, easy to make and packed full of nutrients. The smokiness of the taco “meat” paired with the sweetness and spiciness of the salsa is a classic flavor combo that everyone will enjoy (plant and meat eaters, alike). Get the recipe below!

It’s true. Since I’ve been cooking a lot more plant-based meals at home, our love for Taco Tuesday has fallen a bit to the wayside. Mexican foods are one of the easiest cuisines to make in my opinion, so I decided to bring a Mexican fiesta back to the kitchen, veggie style!

Let’s take a closer look at the nutritious benefits of these lentil walnut tacos…

There’s a lot of plant-based protein sources to choose from for these tacos, but I went with a combination of lentils and walnuts.

Lentils provide a creamy, meaty texture (almost like eating refried beans) and are packed with protein, fiber and iron (to help keep you fuller longer and promote healthy digestion). Walnuts on the other hand are full of healthy fats (good for brain health!) and add a nice crunch to the mix.

The spices added to the taco meat create a smoky flavor, which is balanced out by the sweet and spicy pineapple mango salsa! Did you know that pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C, antioxidants and bromelain? These three nutrients combined together make for a powerful anti-aging beauty food which results in youthful, glowing skin.

You can serve these tacos any way you like, but I opted to up the green power by serving them in romaine lettuce shells. But I’m pretty sure my husband will request tortillas, so I’ll be serving them up two ways.

To finish off the tacos, I added a drizzle of cashew sour cream, because… why not? However, if you don’t want to go the extra step to make the sour cream, no worries. They would be just as delicious without it!

Lentil Walnut Tacos with a Pineapple Mango Salsa

• Author: FitLiving Eats by Carly Paige
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Main
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

If Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday had a baby, they would make lentil walnut tacos. These vegan tacos are delicious, easy to make and packed full of nutrients. The smokiness of the taco “meat” paired with the sweetness and spiciness of the salsa is a classic flavor combo that everyone will enjoy (plant and meat eaters, alike).

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup french green lentils
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 romaine lettuce leaves

Pineapple Mango Salsa

• 1 cup pineapple, diced
• 1 cup mango, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cashew Sour Cream
• 3/4 cup cashews, soaked for a few hours
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Cook the lentils according to the package. This should take about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. To make the cashew sour cream: Drain the soaking liquid from the cashews and add the cashews to a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on HIGH until creamy.
4. To make the lentil walnut taco meat: Toast the walnuts in a sauté pan for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Add to a food processor with the lentils and pulse until crumbly (keeping the texture!). Add back to the pan and add in the spices and tomato paste. Stir to combine and sauté for a few more minutes to let the mixture dry out a bit and become crumbly.
5. To assemble: Spoon the taco meat into the romaine leaves. Top with the salsa and sour cream. Enjoy!

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Equipment

food processor

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Next time you plan out your Taco Tuesday menu, try it with a veggie twist. You might be surprised at how satisfying and flavorful these lentil walnut tacos are.

If you make these Lentil Walnut Tacos, let me know! Leave a comment below or snap a pic on Instagram and tag it with @fitlivingeats and #fitlivingeats. I love seeing your recipe creations!

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