As you know, in our JUA Journal we keep you updated on all things swimwear, sustainability, travel and environmental issues. One of the tips that always gets mentioned when researching how to live more sustainable is changing your diet, especially reducing or cutting out meat. The reason for this is because the production of meat requires a lot of precious resources such as energy, water and land, and causes a lot of CO2 and greenhouse emissions. Furthermore, waste from animals causes pollution in rivers and this is bad for the soil. 

It also happens that today is World Vegetarian Day, and our founder Kaylee has been a veggie for many years. She used to share some of her recipes on her Instagram, but we thought it would be great to share them here on our blog as it fits with the sustainable lifestyle JUA June proudly promotes. This week we are starting with Vegan Lentil Tacos, the perfect easy comfort food that does not compromise on good nutrition.

Kaylee: "Although you can easily turn mince tacos into veggie tacos by using meat free vegetarian mince, I prefer to use lentils instead because it adds a bite to it and lentils are full of protein and iron, which is important if you are vegetarian. You don't need much for this recipe, I like to cook food that is quick and easy but still tastes nice, so you will never find me in the kitchen with complicated recipes or ingredients.

Besides the lentils I also use kidney beans, again full of protein, fibers and antioxidants, and also a must have when you are cooking Mexican food I think! Then I use a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of corn and an onion as the main ingredients. Tinned tomatoes often have a bit more flavor than fresh tomatoes (especially when you live in the UK ;) and it is also cheaper which shows that when you cook a vegetarian meal it does not have to be expensive- a common misconception about vegetarian food.

I add the ingredients to the pan on a medium heat, then comes the seasoning! This is of course adjustable to your own taste, but I like to use paprika powder, chili powder, coriander and a bit of salt and pepper. When you add the seasoning, bring the heat down so the mixture can soak up all the flavor- I also think this mix for tacos tastes even better the next day!

When the filling for the tacos is done, I like to serve the tacos with salad and guacamole. For the guacamole I use 1-2 avocados depending on size, a small onion, a lime, salt and pepper and fresh coriander. It adds freshness to the tacos and I love the combination! If you want you can also add a bit of cheese or a tomato salsa to the tacos.

See below for the recipe card which will give you a clear overview of the ingredients and steps for this dish, I hope you enjoy this first recipe and when you make it don't forget to let us know!

Loads of Love,

Kaylee