Crunchy chickpea and lentil grilled tacos are the perfect plant-based meal for summer! They’re packed with nutrition and a great option if you’re looking for a plant-based option to have at a summer BBQ.
Although summer looks a little different this year, there are still nice occasions of the season we can look forward to like safe BBQs with friends and family, picnics, and just making dinner at home a little extra special.
Thank you to USA Pulses for partnering in the creation of this recipe with me! I am proud to work with organizations that help making healthy choices easy and more accessible for everyone.
These crunchy chickpea and black lentil grilled tacos are perfect for any of those occasions, simple to make, and are a good source of nutrition like plant-based protein and fiber. The good news is they’re also customizable based on what vegetables you have on hand. I used peppers, cauliflower, and zucchini, but I’m betting they’d be good other ones too!
chickpea & black lentil grilled tacos perfect for summer
In this day and age I totally believe that BBQ’s do not have to be exclusively for meat and pasta salads. I think incorporating more plant-based sources of protein, veggies and whole-grains to help create a more balanced plate, can totally work for a backyard cookout too!
Chickpeas are definitely one of my favorite sources of plant-based protein to snack on, add to salads and grain bowls, and use in different ways. I recommend them as a pantry staple to have on hand, and love that they really take on the flavor of anything you season or pair them with.
what are pulses?
Chickpeas, lentils, beans and dry peas all fall into the category of “pulses”. Maybe you’re familiar with that term, or maybe this is your first time hearing about the category of pulses. Either way, I’m betting you’ve had one of more of them
From tossing chickpeas in salads to mixing red kidney beans into your burger patty, pulses add an extra boost of nutrients to your summer barbecue spreads.
pulses nutrition
Pulses are very high in fiber, containing both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber helps to decrease blood cholesterol levels and control blood sugar levels, and insoluble fiber helps with digestion and regularity.
They also provide important amounts of vitamins and minerals. Some of the key minerals in pulses include: iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Pulses are also particularly abundant in B vitamins; including folate, thiamin and niacin.
how I practice plant-based eating
My interpretation of plant based eating is not giving up meat altogether but rather adding more veggies and plant-based sources of protein like pulses into my meals and not always having meat be the “star” of the meal. Growing up meat was definitely the star of our family dinners, however as my eating habits evolved, I’ve found that not focusing on meat at every single meal and switching things up with beans, lentils, chickpeas and more is how I enjoy approaching my meals and snacks.
ingredients for crunchy chickpea and lentil tacos:
- Tortillas – I used siete foods casava flour tortillas
- Chickpeas – aka garbanzo beans
- Black lentils
- Peppers – I used red, yellow & orange ones here
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Jalapeno
- Avocado oil
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Crunchy Chickpea & Black Lentil Grilled Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 to rtillas
- 1 can chickpeas
- 4 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 cup black lentil
- 1 ½ cup red orange or yellow peppers, sliced
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- 1 medium zucchini cut into rounds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas and use a paper towel to dry them as best as you can.
- Toss with 2 tbsp. avocado oil, garlic powder and salt and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 25, flipping the chickpeas halfway through.
- In the meantime cook lentils according to package directions.
- Rinse and chop veggies. Toss with remaining 2 tbsp and salt. And avocado oil and place veggies in a grill basket. Grill for about 10 minutes until tender.
- Once the chickpeas, lentils and veggies have finished cooking, toss together.
- Place tortillas on the grill to heat them up for a few seconds on each side. Remove from the grill and use tongs to fill each tortilla with the chickpea lentil mix. Top with guacamole if desired and enjoy!
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