Spicy Lentil Tacos Super Fast (Side of Slaw on The Side)

I was pressed for time (as usual) last night--I needed a quick vegan fix for dinner. When is a taco not a good dinner go-to? I say never. My fave is always the hardshell variety--and my shells ALWAYS break on me!--takes nothing away from the flavor, trust me. On its surface, this vegan dinner is quite simple. On a taste scale, this is a complete collision of amazing Mexican flavor. Cost wise, well, it is a laughable maybe buck fifty per person. There are ton of lentil taco recipes on the web, however, my inspiration for this meal came from a wonderful new cookbook find: Supermarket Vegan by Donna Klein. (I love this cookbook--I have yet to see a recipe that didn't get the "try worthy" nod--so expect more from me from this book.) I guess my "taco love" can be traced back to my Taco Tuesday madness when I slung hash at a local taco joint down south when I was in college. Ah, memories of grime. The scent of cumin wafting through my closet. Those were the days.

Mr. Thyme has been "on the road" quite a bit recently, and for some reason, when he's gone, I seem to find myself in the middle of projects that take all day long to complete. Like planting four trees yesterday. (A post to follow on this maybe tomorrow--after my back heals some.)

So by four in the afternoon, I was sitting here trying to catch a breather when I hear the garage door slam. That's always a HUGE motivator for me--and miraculously, this recipe opened up and I was like, "Welcome home! Guess what we're having tonight?" (I always win points when its vegan pizza after a long trip--I won even more points last night with this recipe--he loved it!)

Plus, I had my third sewing class last night. We began sewing our aprons--OMG, it is too cute for words. I have discovered that I am not the "straightest" seam sewer the world has ever met. I am okay with that because in the quilt department, that really does not matter--a million boo-boos can be hidden in quilting. But this apron, wait till you see it! Too cute!

To complete my spicy taco entree, I did what any Eat to Live follower would do and that is, I added a huge side of cole slaw to the mix. (I hadn't met my "one pound of greens" quota yesterday--thus the pile of cabbage you see there.) Actually, this is the perfect meal for the plan. And a must with any taco: guacamole, of course!

Spicy Lentil Tacos

1 package of hard taco shells

3/4 cup dried lentils (rinsed)

1 tablespoon safflower oil

1 onion chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 celery stalk diced

1 small can green chiles

2 cups water

1 low-sodium veggie boullion cube

1/2 tablespoon dried cumin

2 tablespoons dried chili seasoning (I used a sweet chili flavored one)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 sprig fresh cilantro (about a tablespoon's worth) or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/2 cup salsa

*shredded vegan mexican cheese for topping

*dollop of vegan sour cream

Rinse your lentils really well and look for anything that needs to be picked out. (I forgot to do this in my rushed state last night and thankfully, we lived to see another day.) In a medium saute pan, over medium heat--add about a tablespoon of safflower oil and then your chopped onion. Cook for about five minutes. Add your garlic and all seasonings and stir for about another minute to get all the onions good and coated. Now add the dried lentils and stir them around to coat them. Add the water and boullion cube. Stir around to get the boullion cube to break down. Cover and allow to simmer about 35 minutes. Watch the pan and check to see if you need to add more water. After this time is up, taste-test the lentils for "doneness". I like my lentils to still have a bit of crunch. Next I added a half cup of salsa and then let it cook another five minutes so the flavors absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit another five minutes. Fill your tacos about a third full, add the cheese and sour cream and YUM!