Step 1

Add lentils, brown rice, onion and garlic to insert of slow cooker.TIP: You want to use green lentils in this recipe, NOT red.  Red lentils tend to fall apart while they are cooking which makes them the best choice for a soup, rather than this taco filling.

Step 2

Add chili powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Step 3

Pour water into slow cooker mixture.TIP: Want to add even more flavor?  Feel free to substitute vegetable broth - or chicken or beef or mushroom! - in place of the water called for in the recipe.

Step 4

Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.TIP: For lentils that will retain their shape and still have some "bite" to them, cook for three hours, for softer lentils, cook four hours.

Step 5

Stir taco filling once during the last hour of cooking.TIP: A quick stir during the final hour of cooking helps to redistribute any remaining liquid and also gives you a sense of how much cooking time you'd like to give the lentils and rice to obtain the texture you prefer.