Celebrate Mother Earth with these eco-friendly eats. I am always so thrilled to taco 'bout the power of plants, and these ultimate vegan tacos offer serious benefits for your health and the environment. Another delicious way to protect the planet: Reduce waste by using leftover or close-to-expiration fruit to whip up this two-ingredient fruit leather.
Incredible Vegan Tacos
Move over, Fridays! Tuesdays may just be my favorite day of the week because that's the day we make tacos. I often use ground poultry for my taco filling, but I've recently started rotating in this plant-forward recipe. The dish combines a trio of vegan powerhouses to create a hearty beef-like taco experience: lentils, black beans and walnuts. Plant-based foods contain fiber, phytonutrients and other compounds that have been shown to promote health. Plus, they help cut back on greenhouse gases and have a smaller carbon footprint than meat products. I season my "meat" with a simple DIY taco seasoning blend, but you can easily use a store-bought packet (just make sure to grab an extra one — most packets contain only about 4 tablespoons — and you may decide on a little extra for a more intense flavor). This recipe makes five heaping cups of filling for countless tacos, but it also tastes terrific on salads and sandwiches, too.
Get the recipe here.
Did you know that about 25% of the fresh fruit we purchase is typically wasted? If you have some extra fruit that's close to its expiration date (and you're hanging around the house for a bunch of hours), skip the trash and transform would-be waste into a two-ingredient snack that's crazy fun and tasty. This recipe is kid-friendly (they can help make it … and devour it) as well as environmentally friendly (no spoiled fruit to toss). It's the perfect rainy-day snacktivity because it takes a long time to dehydrate in the oven (but I promise the prep is a total breeze). The finished product is reminiscent of those packaged rolled fruit snacks you enjoyed as a kid — and you can feel good about indulging in this version because it's packed with only nutrient-rich fruit and a dash of honey. Who's ready to roll?
For more tasty recipes, check out Joy's cookbook "Joy Bauer's Superfood!" and follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
TODAY has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not by TODAY.