SHITAKE MUSHROOM + LENTIL ASIAN TACOS

Recipe found on Sproutedkitchen.com

When Ryan came home from work and saw me making this recipe the first thing he said was where is the meat?  He looked very skeptical and unsure but ended up loving these tacos.  The mushroom and lentil mixture is very flavorful and takes place of the meat and then you garnish with greens, avocado, shredded carrots and then drizzle with the sauce.  I used sprouts that were leftover from my No-soy Asian salad recipe I make.  I used organic whole wheat flour tortillas for Ryan and the kids and brown rice tortillas for Heather and I.  I warmed them up in a pan with some coconut oil before filling and serving them.  We will for sure make these again.

INGREDIENTS:
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. white or yellow miso
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 packed cups basil leaves
1 packed cup cilantro
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil


1 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil, divided
half of a yellow onion, diced
6 oz. shitake mushrooms (cut into medium size chunks)
3/4 cup cooked lentils (I used red)
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
sea salt + pepper

small tortillas
1-2 super ripe avocados
3/4 cup fresh grated carrots
micro greens, for garnish

For the sauce, pulse the garlic cloves through the rice vinegar in a food processor to blend. Once mixed, add in the herbs and give a few more pulses to chop. You want it slightly textured. With the motor going, drizzle in the oil. Taste and adjust as you prefer. Cover and set aside.

Heat 1/2 Tbsp. of the coconut oil in a large saute pan. Add the diced onion and saute until just translucent. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and just leave them to heat up and start to release moisture*. Once they have reduced in size, about 4 minutes, add the remaining coconut oil and saute to mix. Add the lentils and another pinch of salt and pepper and saute to warm through. Lastly, add the vinegar and stir to scrape up any brown bits in the pan.

For the assembly line of the tacos, heat the tortillas over a stove flame until a bit charred. Smash about a quarter of an avocado down the center. Top it with a few pinches of grated carrots, a portion of the mushroom mixture, a generous dose of the sauce (don't be shy, it's all the gusto here) and top with the micro greens. Enjoy warm.
* So, I read this hint about mushrooms that you don't immediately cook them in a bunch of fat. If you cook them in just a teeny bit and some salt, they release a lot of their own water and concentrate the flavor and THEN you add some fat (oil, butter or what not) and it finishes off the flavor and texture instead.