This past weekend ended up being so busy but so fun! A friend of mine had a sales party with a company that I love and needed a few things. I took my daughter to the Winter Jam concert where a ton of Christian artists do a big show and it is run on donations, and I spent all of Sunday after church with a new friend running around town and getting to know each other better. Why is it shopping and food make for such a fun time out?
My daughter and I ready for the show.
This week I wanted to share a recipe that I often use both alone and in other things. Early in my blog recipe days (not really that long ago if I'm honest) I made taco topped zucchini rounds and taco topped mini sweet peppers. Since then I've had some people ask me exactly what I add to bulk up my taco meat. Therefore, this week I'm sharing exactly what I use for our family tacos.
Another fun addition is water chestnuts. Get the sliced or diced ones, drain them off, and when you add your seasoning, add those in as well. This is best if you plan to make taco salads or something where you need an additional crunch without adding chips. The water chestnuts absorb the flavors of what it is cooked with and stay crunchy during cooking. I love a salad with crunch and it saves me from adding fried tortilla strips to my taco salads.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup water
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup frozen "seasoning blend" (diced peppers and onions)
14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 packs taco seasoning
2 to 4 tbsp water, as needed
Directions:
In small saucepan add lentils and water.
Bring to a boil and cook until most of the water is gone.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown ground beef and seasoning blend.
Once beef is browned, drain grease and return to heat.
Add in the cooked lentils, tomatoes, seasoning and enough water for everything to incorporate well.
Simmer about 5 minutes and serve.
This bulks up your taco meat to about double what you would have with just the ground beef. We love this for how budget friendly it makes taco night. Also, it added plenty of fiber and legumes to your diet if you aren't a big fan of eating beans.
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**Nutritional information generated by adding ingredients on www.myfitnesspal.com