Spiced Lentil Tacos

Inspiration:
SELF Magazine


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 8 taco shells
• 1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping tsp sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Note: I only use full-fat dairy, so I substituted in regular sour cream and cheese. I left the recipe as-is to reflect the nutritional info below.

Nutritional Info:
249 calories per 2 tacos, 7.1 g fat (1.9 g saturated), 37.1 g carbs, 9.7 g fiber, 11.5 g protein


Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10 ("Not as good as beef tacos, still good.")

Bolivian Corn Chowder

Inspiration:

The Amazing Race's visit to Bolivia

this recipe

and potatoes, garlic, and onion from our CSA

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• a 15 ounce can of whole-kernel corn, drained
• a 15 ounce can of cream-style corn
• 2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
• a 4 ounce can of diced green chilis
• 1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce), minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt
• 1 cup half and half or whole milk
• 2 limes

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Add the potatoes, whole-kernel corn, cream-style corn, and stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the diced green chilis, chipotle pepper, oregano, and cumin. Continue cooking for 10 minutes longer.
   


2. Shortly before serving, add the half and half or milk and heat through, without allowing the soup to come to a boil. Cut the limes in half. Squeeze 3 of the lime halves into the soup. Season the soup with salt as necessary and ladle the soup into serving bowls. Cut the remaining lime half into thin slices. Float one or two of the lime slices in each bowl as an attractive garnish.

Notes:

I substituted 32 ounces frozen corn for the canned corn. Don't omit the limes or chipotle-- they make this recipe!

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Next week on The Amazing Race:
New Zealand!

One-Minute Salsa

Inspiration:
A Cook's Illustrated recipe featured in my CSA newsletter
as well as tomatoes, serrano pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro from my CSA. (Everything except lime, salt, and ground pepper- I love it when that happens.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small serano or jalapeño chile or 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/4 small red onion , peeled and root end removed
• 1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
  
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• pinch ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
• 2 small tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  

Instructions:

1. Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.
   
   To Make Ahead:
   The salsa can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Season with additional lime juice and salt before serving.

Notes:
This took me five minutes, not one minute to make. However, it's worth it because it's SO GOOD. Next time I will add an entire serrano pepper, because we love spicy food.

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10