Head over to Sandra’s for Slow Cooker Thursday.

slowcooking

This is a great meal, because it’s economical,  packed with veggies, it doesn’t heat up your kitchen, and you are making a freezer meal for another day at the same time.  Can’t beat that!  This also makes a nice baked or sweet potato bar topping and a taco or rollup sandwich filler.

Lentil Taco Salad/Filling

(serves 12-16, enough to today’s meal and a freezer meal for the future)

7 cups gluten free vegetable or chicken broth

2 medium green sweet peppers, seeded and chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium red sweet peppers, seeded and chopped (about 2 cups)

2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups

2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and drained)

1 cup rice

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½ inch thick (or a variety of mixed summer squash)

12 cups tortilla chips

8 cups crispy mixed greens

3 cups chopped tomatoes

Optional toppings:  Plain coconut yogurt or soy sour cream style topping, guacamole, sliced olives, sliced green onions, etc.

In a 6 quart slow cooker combine broth, peppers, onion, lentils, rice, garlic, chili powder and salt.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or until lentils are tender.

Stir in squash.  Cover and cook on high setting for  20-25 minutes more.  Remove half of lentil mixture to cool, label and freeze for another meal.

To serve taco salad arrange tortilla chips on 6 or 8 dinner plates. Arrange salad greens over tortilla chips.  Spoon desired amount of lentil mixture over chips and salad. Top with tomatoes and optional toppings as desired.