Joy Bauer Just Shared This Easy 3-Ingredient Recipe for Plant-Based Meat—and It's Packed with Fiber

The recipe is also super customizable!

Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RD

Joy Bauer has published countless healthy and delicious looking recipes on her social media platforms, and we can’t get enough of it. With the start of the new year, the Today Show nutrition expert has taken to Instagram, expressing her joy for taco Tuesdays—with a tasty plant-based twist.

Related: Joy Bauer’s Protein-Packed Buffalo Cottage Cheese Dip Is the Easiest Party Appetizer

Instead of the usual beef, turkey or chicken (which can still be delicious components of a balanced eating pattern), Bauer uses legumes and nuts to achieve a textured and flavorful alternative to meat, which is absolutely genius and surprisingly easy to make.

To make Bauer’s plant-based meat, you need 1 can black beans, 1 cup toasted walnuts and 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils. Bauer recommends draining and rinsing the black beans before use, and we appreciate the tip as it can help remove excess sodium. We also suggest buying no-salt-added black beans.

For the walnuts, toast them in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 to 4 minutes. Then, for the lentils, Bauer cooks 1 cup dry brown lentils in 2 to 3 cups vegetable broth or according to package directions. If you’re looking to save the 30 minutes of boiling lentils, you can drain and rinse 2 15-ounce cans cooked lentils instead (though you may have more lentils than the recipe calls for).

Use a food processor to pulse the black beans, lentils and walnuts together until combined—but not pureed. Then, coat a large skillet completely with olive oil spray and place over medium-low heat. Now you can add the “meat” mixture, 2 tablespoons water and your choice of seasonings (Bauer uses 4 to 6 tablespoons taco seasoning), stirring until warmed through. Be careful not to mash as you stir, since you’ll want to end up with chunks for the best texture.

We love Bauer’s recipe because swapping ingredients like legumes and nuts for meat can have some amazing health benefits like decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Plus, making Bauer’s recipe with just three simple ingredients means avoiding any unnecessary additives you might find in ultra-processed plant-based meats, which may be higher in saturated fats and sodium.

What’s also great about this mix of ingredients is that black beans and lentils offer lots of satiating protein comparable to what you’ll find in ground beef or turkey. In addition, the walnuts are packed with healthy unsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation and support heart health. Not to mention, each ingredient contributes fiber, an important nutrient that supports gut health.

Related: Joy Bauer's Fiber-Packed Edible Cookie Dough Is So Simple, It'll Knock You Off Your Feet

Bauer uses this dish for her Plant-Based Tacos recipe, and we think it’d also be worth trying in burgers, lasagna, soup and more. Simply add your favorite seasoning blend and make this fiber-packed, plant-based meat. You can also add or subtract from the meat mix to play around with textures. For instance, make our highly-rated Easy Walnut Tacos for a delicious, savory and nutty crunch at dinnertime. Or set the nuts aside and add these 4-ingredient Tofu Crumbles to any number of meaty or meatless dinner ideas.

Read the original article on Eating Well.