Cheerful Vegan Nachos

HEALTHY COMFORT FOOD FOR THE WIN! Whohoo. No matter who you’re cheering for, if you’re looking for a tasty game day appetizer, this is the recipe for you. It could even double as a cozy Valentine’s Day meal in or I’m-so-sick-of-winter family pick-me-up. Not that you really need a reason anyway because, seriously, look at these plant-powered beauties! I posted this recipe to the app over the weekend and was thrilled to see so many of you run right to your kitchens to make them!

I have to say, I’ve had a pretty bad case of the winter blahs this month. I kicked off the new year feeling uninspired and was soon run down by a cold, random injury, rough parenting phase, and string of bad sleeps. Anyone else have a tough start to the new year? I’ll be welcoming February with WIDE OPEN ARMS and all the heart-eyed emojis this Thursday, I tell ya!

Not surprisingly, that low energy and lack of inspiration crossed over into dinnertime menu planning, so in a bid not to serve the same meal for the 15th time I came up with these nachos to change up our regular rotation. And I’m so glad I did—they were a huge hit! I also love that the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce and Spicy Black Beans can be made in advance so the meal comes together fast.

Here’s a fun GIF showing how I built the nachos! Full disclosure: I went light on the cheese sauce for these photos, but just know that in real life I’m dumping that stuff on!!

Print

Cheerful Vegan Nachos

Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

My family and I were getting a bit tired of our regular weeknight dinners so I came up with this crowd-pleasing nacho plate to freshen things up. It can also make for a cozy date-night-in meal alongside a good movie or game! The beauty of this recipe is that you can make a couple components in advance, and pick and choose which store-bought foods you’d like to include to save time (like salsa or guacamole). I encourage you to customize this nacho plate to your heart’s content! If you’re looking to cut down on prep work, you can make the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce and Spicy Black Beans in advance (they’ll keep in the fridge for a few days) so there’s less you’ll need to do the day of.

Yield
4 servings
Soak time
30-60 minutes
Prep time
40 Minutes
Cook time
35 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the cooked toppings:
For the fresh toppings:
  • 1 bag tortilla chips of choice
  • 1 medium (240 g) avocado (pitted and chopped) or guacamole***
  • 2 medium (20 g) green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 mL) pickled jalapeños, drained****
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped jarred roasted red pepper, drained
  • 1/4 cup (20 g) finely chopped purple cabbage
  • Handful (12 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Salsa, to taste*****

Directions:

  1. Begin preparing the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce by soaking 1/4 cup cashews in a small bowl of boiling water for at least 30 to 60 minutes.
  2. Prepare the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce. While you’re making the cheese sauce, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a medium rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the cheese sauce aside once prepared.
  3. Spread the chopped sweet potato onto the parchment-lined roasting pan and toss with the oil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and chili powder. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly charred.
  4. While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the Spicy Black Beans found in my DIY Burrito Bowl recipe (linked in ingredient list). After cooking, leave the beans in the skillet so you can reheat them just before layering onto the nachos.
  5. Gather and prep any fresh toppings you’d like to use so they’re ready to go. Please note my measurements are simply a guide. Feel free to add as much or as little of each as you wish!
  6. On a medium rimmed baking sheet or platter (if your sweet potatoes are finished roasting, feel free to set them aside and re-use the same sheet here), spread a layer of chips to cover the base entirely.
  7. For warm nachos, reheat the Spicy Black Beans in the skillet and the All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce in your microwave or a small pot on the stovetop.
  8. Now it’s time to dress up those nacho chips! Layer the beans first before adding cheese sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado (or guacamole, if using), green onion, pickled jalapeños, roasted red pepper, cabbage, cilantro, and salsa. Season with salt and serve immediately.

Tips:

* You may have leftover cheese sauce, but because blending a half-batch can be difficult, I suggest preparing the whole recipe as directed. I love having leftovers on-hand to mix into pasta, top off a bowl of chili, layer on a wrap, etc.

** You could also switch things up by using my Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat in place of the Spicy Black Beans! I’d recommend preparing the taco meat with canned lentils so it comes together quickly.

*** Looking for a guacamole recipe? Try The Freshest Guacamole in Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 65.

**** My go-to brand of pickled jalapeños is Sunrise Farms Organic Pickled Jalapeños. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to drizzle Sriracha or hot sauce for a little extra heat.

***** For a delicious homemade salsa, try my Fresh Cherry Tomato Salsa in Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 63. Store-bought works too, though!

 

If you prefer a more classic take on cheesy nachos, you can also add a layer of shredded vegan cheese before the avocado (or guacamole), salsa, and cilantro. Pop your nachos in the oven for a few minutes, top with remaining fresh ingredients, and serve.

If you’re looking for more Valentine’s Day recipe inspiration, here is a round-up of some faves!

Next Level Vegan Enchiladas

Hunky Heartbeet Cabbage Soup

Ultimate Flourless Brownies for Two

Pink Power Detox Smoothie

No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Avocado Strawberry Caprese

Roasted Beet Salad with Hazelnuts, Thyme, and Balsamic Reduction (The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 113)

Seductive Raw Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Psst…the first 6 recipes are also found in The Oh She Glows Recipe App (iOS/Android)!

© copyright 2018 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.


from Oh She Glows
http://ift.tt/2rXmetZ
Angela (Oh She Glows)
January 30, 2018 at 09:38AM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Creamy Shrimp Risotto

Image
This shrimp risotto recipe makes a crowd-pleasing dinner, pairing the bold flavors of Parmesan and lemon with creamy rice and juicy shrimp. Looking for a fun dinner idea? Try this Shrimp Risotto recipe! This Italian-style dish is full of bold flavor: juicy, succulent shrimp sit over a bed of creamy, Parmesan and lemon-scented rice. It’s great for impressing guests as a main dish, but it’s simple enough to work as a weeknight meal, too. Our entire family gobbled it up! Ingredients for this shrimp risotto recipe Risotto is an Italian rice dish where short grain Arborio rice is cooked in broth until it becomes creamy. It’s generally served as a first course in Italy, where meals are structured as antipasti, first plate, and second plate. But when we’re looking to conjure up the flavors of Italy at home, we eat it as a dinner with a green salad. Most risotto methods use butter, onion, and garlic, white wine to deglaze the pan, and Parmesan cheese to finish. Here’s what you’ll nee...
Read more

Easy Burrata Recipe

Image
This burrata recipe is the best way to serve this rich and creamy cheese! Pair it with summer fruit or tomatoes, olive oil and sea salt. Ready for one of the best taste treats on the planet? Burrata cheese . Burrata is a revelation: gooey, fresh mozzarella that’s hiding a secret: an even gooier, creamier interior. Once you taste this, you’ll be forever a burrata aficionado. Even better: you barely need to make a recipe to eat it. Here’s the best way to serve burrata: with fresh summer fruits or tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, and sea salt. The Italians are all about the perfection of simplicity: so it’s only fitting that they’re the ones behind this rockstar cheese. What is burrata? Burrata is an Italian fresh mozzarella cheese with a surprise inside: the center is filled with cream! The creamy interior also contains c heese shreds, called straciatella . When you cut into the ball, the creamy cheese comes spilling out: perfect for topping crackers or crostini . The word burrata comes ...
Read more

Quick Burrito Bowl

Image
This burrito bowl recipe is a lightning fast easy dinner idea! Add veggies and drizzle with creamy chipotle ranch dressing. Here’s a quick dinner idea that’s always satisfying and works for nearly every diet. That’s right, the good old Burrito Bowl ! We can thank Chipotle for its widespread popularity, but it really is a killer idea. Throw rice, veggies, and burrito fillings in a bowl and call it meal! Here’s the thing: a good burrito bowl can actually take a while to make at home with all the components. Want a burrito bowl that’s lightening fast to make? We’ve got you. In fact, you can make this one 15 minutes (we timed ourselves). How to make a burrito bowl… fast! The longest lead time item in a burrito bowl is the rice. If you want to make a speedy bowl, you’ve got to short cut the rice cook time. There are a few options: Fastest: Use packaged pre-cooked rice! There are a few brands on the market (we used Seeds of Change) Fast: Cook the rice the night before, then rehea...
Read more