Green Tacos and Taco Salad

You may have noticed I have not been posting super often lately. One reason is that I have been working basically seven days a week and sometimes I just want to relax, watch tv, live life. Another is that my eating habits are changing. I have been feeling much healthier eating mostly raw vegan food and less healthy eating cooked and baked foods. I have not eliminated those foods, but they are becoming much more occasional, and much less habitual.

Today's taco recipe is a typical cooked meal for me these days. It involves both raw and cooked food. It is oil-free and much lower in sodium and fat than a traditional taco, grain-free and corn-free. It is, as usual, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.

These Green Tacos are really delicious and offer a nice dose of plant protein and fresh vegetables. I chose to use collard greens as the shells instead of tortillas -- they are incredibly good for you and loaded with important minerals like calcium.

If you don't care for tacos, the fillings also taste delicious on top of salad greens. I had a lot of extra vegan taco "meat" and other toppings after I made two giant tacos, so I threw the rest on top of some romaine lettuce and baby kale to make a delicious taco salad! All in all, this is a really filling, healthy and delicious meal.

GREEN TACOS AND GREEN TACO SALAD

SPICED TACO "MEAT":

1 can brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1-2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp chopped white onion
1 tsp cumin
0.5 tsp turmeric
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch chili powder
Squeeze of lemon or lime
1 roma tomato, chopped

In a pot over medium high heat, water saute OR oil saute your onions. Once translucent, add your tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add the spices and lentils and a little water. Simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare your other fillings.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

2 cups fresh or frozen peeled and chopped butternut squash
garlic powder (to taste)
1 tsp of cumin
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
squeeze of lemon or lime juice
1 tsp vegan mayo (optional)

Steam the squash until soft and mashable. Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth OR add to a mixing bowl and puree with a stick blender OR add to a mixing bowl and mash and mix everything very well with a fork.

EXTRA FILLINGS:

1 yellow beet, grated with a cheese grater
Oil free salsa, or your favourite salsa
1 ripe avocado, sliced into long thin slices
1/4 English cucumber (grated with a cheese grater) (optional)

OPTIONAL: vegan mayo or vegan sour cream (leave out to reduce fat and oil)

TACO ASSEMBLY

Once every component is prepared, wash and pat dry your collard leaves and add some lentils down the middle, leaving lots of room around the edges. Top with some avocado slices and as much of the other toppings as you want. Wrap like a burrito and enjoy.

GREEN TACO SALAD:

Salad greens (as much as you desire)
Taco "Meat"
Other Fillings
Squeeze of lime or lemon
Garlic powder

Add your salad greens to a large bowl. Drizzle with lemon or lime juice and a couple shakes of garlic powder. Then top with all of your taco fillings and vegan taco "meat". Enjoy!

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