Not your average Nachos

I have been experimenting for a couple of years with different “Nacho” recipes only to find myself unsatisfied and even occasionally grossed out.

Then finally came along two new recipes; one from Veg News and one from The Kind Diet. I modified the original recipes because I find vegan sour cream vile and refuse to ruin my nachos with it. I decided to replace it with silken tofu and, voila, it was perfection!

I’ve been told by some (okay just one) that my food looks “pretty", but does it taste good? Trust me on this RS (you know who you are), these Nachos will knock you out of your seat! J

Nacho Cheez (better than Velveeta)

Mix the following ingredients in a sauce pan on the stovetop until melted and smooth:

2 tbs vegan butter (Earth Balance)

2 tbs flour

2 cups nondairy milk (plain soy or almond)

2.5 cups of Daiya cheddar cheese shreds

½ cup Nutritional Yeast flakes (NYF)*

*NYF can be found at whole foods or sunflower. For those of you who think “ewwww not yeast”… this is similar to the yeast in beer or bread……. It has a nutty, salty flavor and is packed with protein, fiber and B vitamins.

This Nacho Cheez sauce can be poured over tortilla chips or used in bean burritos. Also, you can mix it with your favorite salsa to make a spicy cheesy sauce.

Multi-Layer Cheesy Bean Dip

What you need:

1 can of refried beans (or you can make your own from dried pinto beans)

1 can of black beans (or you can make your own from dried black beans)

½ cup of the above Nacho Cheez

3 large avocados (pitted, peeled and mashed)

Juice from 2 fresh limes

1 packet taco seasoning (I use Simply Organic)

1 can diced green chiles

1 package Mori-Nu silken firm tofu (in the non-refrigerated aisle, by the Asian foods)

1 can black olives, sliced

½ cup chopped green onions

1 cup of diced cherry tomatoes

2 cups Daiya cheddar cheese shreds

Diced jalapeños (optional)

Fresh cilantro (optional)

What you do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Mix the refried beans with ½ of the packet of taco seasoning
• Spread the refried beans in the bottom of an 8x8 glass or ceramic baking dish
• Then spread the black beans on top
• Next pour the Nacho Cheez over the top of the black beans
• Then spread the green chiles and half of the sliced olives
• Next spread the mashed avocados and fresh lime juice
• Sprinkle the chopped cherry tomatoes and green onions next
• In a food processor mix the silken tofu and remaining ½ packet of taco mix till perfectly creamy (about 30 seconds)
• Layer the tofu creamy mixture next
• Sprinkle the rest of the olives over this
• Smother the top with the Daiya cheese shreds
• Bake for 30 minutes until all the cheese is melted
• Serve hot. Add the additional jalapeños and cilantro if desired.
• May serve with chips, however I enjoy this over a bed of organic mixed greens…making a wonderful Nacho Salad.

Enjoy!

Voting:

Adults: 2 cheesy thumbs up

Children: 4 thumbs up (however, can be a bit too “spicy” for them)