For week #32 of my 2018 challenge to try one new whole-food plant-based (WFPB) recipe each week, I tried this lentil mushroom taco "meat." This recipe idea comes from Dr. Neal Barnard's Cookbook for Reversing Diabetes.

Don't have diabetes?

Good! 

WFPB recipes promote good health in general. No diabetes necessary to enjoy the delicious recipes in this cookbook. :)

Dr. Neal Barnard has done a lot of research on the role of plant-based whole foods in preventing and reversing chronic disease (including diabetes). He was featured in the documentaries Forks Over Knives and What the Health. 

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Barnard last year at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's annual conference. To see a 6-minute video of Dr. Barnard in action, check out this segment he did for a Washington, D.C. news station. 

I love how Dr. Barnard not only shares the science behind plant-based whole foods in promoting health, he also provides practical solutions for implementing these concepts in everyday life.

If you're looking for a good plant-based cookbook, check this one out! You can also find some of his recipes on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) website.  

What I like about this recipe (besides the fact that it's healthy):

• Great flavor

• Simple ingredients

• My kids (who both claim to not like mushrooms) ate the tacos up and eagerly asked for seconds. (Score!)

What I ended up using/doing:

• Half of a 16-oz bag of dried brown lentils, boiled according to package instructions and drained. (I prepared the whole bag of dried lentils, then used half of the cooked lentils for this recipe, and froze the rest to use later.) 

• One 4-oz package of fresh mushrooms, minced

• 1/2 cup fresh green bell pepper, minced (any color will work)

• 1 Tbsp dried oregano

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp chipotle hot sauce (I found this by the tabasco sauce in the grocery store.)

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (The recipe calls for vegan Worcestershire sauce. I couldn't find this in my grocery store and used regular Worcestershire.)

• 1/4 tsp allspice

• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 3/4 - 1 tsp sea salt

• 2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

1. Cook and drain the lentils.

2. Combine the lentils and the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a spoon. 

3. Cook the mixture in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes. The mushrooms and peppers will release moisture as they cook. A tsp or two of water can be added if needed, to prevent sticking. 

4. Scoop the "meat" into tortillas, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

This post was originally published on August 15, 2018.