Lentil-Walnut Tacos

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 8 Tacos

Ingredients:

  • For the lentil-walnut taco meat (makes 2 1/2 cups):
  • 1 cup uncooked French green lentils (you will use 1 3/4 cups cooked lentils)
  • 1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • For the toppings and wraps:
  • 1 to 2 large bell peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Green onion
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Lettuce wraps (large romaine, iceberg, or butter lettuce leaves)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the lentils. Place the lentils in a strainer or colander. Remove any shriveled lentils, debris, or rocks. Thoroughly rinse under running water. Transfer the rinsed lentils to a small saucepan and add the water. Add any seasonings, but do not add the salt yet. Bring the water to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water as needed to make sure the lentils are just barely covered. Lentils are cooked as soon as they are tender and no longer crunchy. Older lentils may take longer to cook and shed their outer skins as they cook. Strain the lentils, and return to the pan and stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  1. Toast the walnuts: Preheat oven to 300°F. Add walnuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10 to 13 minutes, watching closely, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
  2. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of oil into a large skillet. Sauté the pepper and onion filling over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, reducing heat if necessary and stirring frequently, until caramelized.
  3. Prepare the taco meat: Add 1 3/4 cups cooked lentils and all the toasted walnuts into a food processor and pulse until chopped (make sure to leave texture). Stir or pulse in the oregano, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir in the oil and the water until combined.
  4. Prepare the rest of your vegetable toppings and wash and dry the lettuce wraps.
  5. Assemble: Add a large lettuce leaf onto a plate, top with taco meat, sautéed peppers and onion, and the rest of your desired toppings.


WEEK 1

Sustainable Diets

Mediterranean Faro Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups cooked farro cooled (about 1 cup dry)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1 small clove garlic minced
  • pinch salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 tomatoes diced
  • 2 cucumbers diced
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • 24 pitted kalamata olives halved
  • 1 tablespoon capers rinsed and drained
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

  1. Chop tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, shallot, and olives
  2. Rinse and drain capers
  3. In a large serving bowl add cooked farro, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper
  4. Stir to combine.
  5. Add next 8 ingredients; gently toss to combine.
  6. Serve.


WEEK 1

Sustainable Diets

Strawberry Almond Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 10 slices

Ingredients:

  • Almond cake
  • 1 cup spelt flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 7 ounces almond paste
  • 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 eggs, at room temperature
  • Mascarpone Cream
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Toppings:
  • 1-pint fresh strawberries, sliced
  • powdering sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

Almond Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. Butter two 9-inch cake pans. Use a cake pan to trace two 9-inch diameter circles out of parchment paper. Carefully cut the circles slightly smaller than outlined and place in the cake pans. Lightly butter the parchment papers.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium mixing bowl.
  4. In a stand mixer, mix together the almond paste and sugar on medium speed until almond paste is in very small pieces. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
  5. Using the stand mixer again, beat the butter until creamy and lightened. Add the almond paste mixture and the vanilla. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of the bowl when necessary. Add flour mixture half at a time, mixing until just combined.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes and then turn cakes out of the pans onto wire cooling racks and remove the parchment paper. Allow cakes to cool completely before assembling.

Mascarpone Cream:

  1. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or use a handheld mixer), whip the cream and sugar until fluffy and soft peaks begin to form. Add the mascarpone and vanilla beat for an additional minute, until thickened with soft peaks.
  2. Spread half of the mascarpone cream onto one of the cakes, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Arrange with half of the strawberries. Top with the second cake and layer remaining cream and strawberries. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. This is best served the same day it’s made.

WEEK 1

Sustainable Diets

Mint water

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Servings: Yields 1 quart

Ingredients

  • 3-4 sprigs of fresh spearmint or peppermint
  • 1-quart water

Instructions

  1. Take 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh mint, depending on taste. Remove any damaged or brown leaves and wash the sprigs very well.
  2. Put them into a carafe or water jug and fill up with water, covering the mint completely.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge too steep for at least 1 hour.
  4. The water will now have taken on the aroma of the mint.
  5. Keep the mint water in the fridge and add more water as you use it.
  6. The mint will keep flavoring the water for up to 3 day