Crispy Stuffed Tortillas with Lentil Meat

🥘 Ingredients

• raw walnuts ¼ cup
• brown button cremini mushrooms 8 oz
• Cooked Lentils 1 ¾ cup
• nutritional yeast ¼ cup
• vegan sour cream 1 cup
• chipotle peppers in adobo from small can 1
• freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tbsp
• garlic powder ½ tsp
• agave nectar ½ tsp
• chili powder 1 tbsp
• ground cumin 1 tbsp
• smoked paprika 2 tsp
• dried oregano or Mexican oregano 1 ½ tsp
• kosher salt ¾ tsp
• Freshly
• neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil 3 tbsp
• medium red onion 1
• garlic cloves 4
• mild salsa ½ cup
• Kosher
• medium-sized flour tortillas 8-12

Walnut Mushroom Lentil “Meat”

1. 1

   Prepare: raw walnuts , brown button cremini mushrooms , Cooked Lentils , nutritional yeast .
2. 2

   Heat a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then add the walnuts to toast. Toss frequently to prevent burning, until golden brown in spots and nutty in aroma, about 5 minutes.
3. 3

   Dab the mushrooms with a paper towel or dry cloth to remove dirt, then remove any tough stems and discard. Tear the mushrooms into big pieces with your hands (or roughly chop them).
4. 4

   In a food processor, pulse the walnuts into fine crumbs, but don’t overprocess into a paste. Add the mushrooms. Blend for a few seconds, then pulse a few times until finely chopped. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
5. 5

   Add the Cooked Lentils (Brown/Green) to the empty food processor bowl. Blend for a few seconds. Then pulse (don’t continuously blend!) a few times until the lentils are partially blended. Transfer to the bowl with the walnut-mushroom mix. Add in the nutritional yeast and stir well to combine.
6. 6

   Store this mixture in a labeled airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Chipotle Crema

1. 1

   Prepare: vegan sour cream , chipotle peppers in adobo from small can , freshly squeezed lime juice , garlic powder , agave nectar .
2. 2

   Add all the ingredients to a food processor (or small-capacity blender) (or a wide-mouthed jar and use an immersion blender). Blend until well combined and creamy. NOTE: Don’t want to use a food processor or blender? Finely chop the chipotle peppers, then mix together all the ingredients in a bowl or jar.
3. 3

   Taste, adding salt or more lime juice as needed. Be wary of adding too much lime juice to avoid making the crema too liquidy (it should be fairly creamy).
4. 4

   Label and store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week.

Lentil Spices

1. 1

   Prepare: chili powder , ground cumin , smoked paprika , dried oregano or Mexican oregano , kosher salt , Freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
2. 2

   Add all the ingredients to a small ziploc bag, seal, and shake to combine. Or, add all the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well, and transfer to a container.
3. 3

   Label and store on the counter or in your pantry for up to 6 months.
4. 4

   Gather: neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil , Lentil Spices ( timer 1/2 tbsp) (from meal prep). For the aromatics for lentil “meat” (from vegetable prep): medium red onion , garlic cloves , timer 1/2 cup Walnut Mushroom Lentil “Meat” (from meal prep), mild salsa , Kosher salt, timer 1/2 tbsp Chipotle Crema (from meal prep), medium-sized flour tortillas .
5. 5

   Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high with the oil (a nonstick pan is easiest). Once hot, add the Lentil Spices. Stir constantly for 20 seconds , then add in the Aromatics for Lentil “Meat.” Stir frequently to prevent burning and cook until the onions are mostly softened, 5 to 6 minutes. During the last few minutes, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
6. 6

   Add in the Walnut Mushroom Lentil “Meat.” Toss well and cook, stirring occasionally, until it dries out, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium. Add the strained salsa and cook the mixture until it’s a thick, spreadable consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, season to taste with salt.
7. 7

   Prepare your side salad, if you’re making one.
8. 8

   Shortcut option: To save time, make soft tacos (see Shortcuts). Or, for the crispy version, spread timer ½ tablespoons of Chipotle Crema onto each tortilla, leaving a small border at the edges. To one side of the tortilla, add a scoop of the “meat.” Fold the tortilla in half over the filling, like you’re folding a piece of paper in half. Press down on the edges to seal.
9. 9

   Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat for several minutes (or just use the same sauté pan from step 1). Add a thin layer of oil and spread it out. Add 2 prepared tortillas (or 3, if they fit). Cover the pan with a lid and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 ½ to 2 ½ minutes. Uncover and flip. Cook uncovered until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 1 ½ minutes (if not using cast iron, they might need more time). Cook in batches, adding more oil to the pan and lowering the heat as needed to prevent burning (likely needed with a cast iron pan). TIP: If cooking more than two servings, place cooked stuffed tortillas on a sheet pan in a 250°F / 120°C oven to stay warm.
10. 10

    For serving: I like to leave the tortillas whole and hold them from the sealed side when eating (like a crispy taco). Or, you can slice the tortillas into smaller wedges—if you lose any filling in that process, scoop it up with extra tortillas (or tortilla chips), or enjoy with a fork!
11. 11

    Serve stuffed tortillas with any leftover salsa and vegan sour cream, if desired, and your side salad, if you made one.