Green Tacos and Green Taco Salad

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 [Vegan]

Ingredients

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

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)

Extra Fillings:

• 1 yellow beet, grated with a cheese grater
• Oil free salsa, or your favorite 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)

Green Taco Salad:

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

Preparation

Spiced Taco "Meat":

1. 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:

1. 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.

Taco Assembly:

1. 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:

1. 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!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/green-tacos-and-green-taco-salad/