Spiced Lentil Stuffed Pepper Taco Boats 🌱🌶 🌮

• 1 cup dry lentils
• 3 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• Avocado oil spray
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. crushed garlic
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 4 large bell peppers, tops, membranes and seeds removed

Put the lentils in a sauce pan and pour the broth over the top.  Bring it to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and lay them in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and generously spray with avocado oil spray.  Add the onion and cook until starting to get translucent, 5 minutes.  Add the crushed garliccook stirring continuously for 1 minute.  Add the tomato sauce,  chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and cayenne, and the cooked lentils to the skillet and stir to combine.  Bring it to a simmer and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Scoop the lentil mixture into each pepper half.

Cover the dish with foil and pop them in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove dish from the oven and turn oven to broil. Sprinkle each with vegan (or regular) cheese and pop under the broiler until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.  Here we have half with vegan cheese and half with regular dairy cheese.

Yields 4 servings - 2 stuffed half peppers each.  211 calories, 0.2 grams fat, 10.8 grams protein, 31.3 net carbs (not including the cheese or toppings)

Serve with your favorite taco toppings such as avocado chunks, diced tomato, chopped onion, taco sauce, etc...

Enjoy!