RECIPE OF THE WEEK: NOT-cho's!!! (a vegan alternative to nachos)

NOT-cho's!

So it's game season and we're all looking for healthy snacks to munch on while watching the game. One of my favorite snacks are nacho's. I love to eat them watching movies and the games. It's an oldy but goody. I remember when I first started implementing a plant based foods into my diet, I really thought about all the foods I loved, and thought that I wouldn't be able to maintain a consistent plant based diet because that would mean I'd have to give up cheese (For more on my cheese addiction click here). Ironically, all of the foods that I love contain cheese. Until finally, it hit me! Why couldn't I have the same foods? I mean, why couldn't I make the same things, except veganize it! So that's exactly what I started doing with a lot of things. Not-cho cheese being one of many...Let me tell you this cheese recipe tastes like the real thing. I promise you when I made it Angels came down from heaven and sang to me!

Not-cho Ingredients:

• Chips of your choice. (the chips I used in this pic are red bean and rice chips.)
• 1-15 oz can of organic red beans
• 1-15 oz can of organic black beans
• 1-15 oz can of organic corn
• 1/3 finely chopped onion or 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
• 1/3 finely chopped bell pepper
• 1-2 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tsp himilayan salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 curry powder
• Not-cho cheese (see below for detailed recipe)

*If you're anti-can goods, feel free to use frozen. But, for intents and purposes of this blog, I'm going for simplicity---something both female and male friendly (that's right fella's this is so simple even you can prepare it) and I actually used cans---see pic below. 

Organic can goods

First we're going to make the cheese...*drum roll please*...

NOT-cho Cheese

Not-cho Cheese Ingredients: 

• 1 cup raw organic cashews (pre-soaked)
• 1/4 cup braggs amino acid
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick or thin you want your cheese)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup roasted red pepper 
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp crushed red peppers or jalapeno peppers (optional)

Making the Not-cho cheese

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender. (Because we're trying to liquify nuts, its best to use your blender. If you have a hightec blender, it'll take you about 1 min.) Blend, then put the cheese into a bowl and let it sit to the side until you're ready to top your not-cho's off.

Note(s): Makes about 15 oz of cheese. To make more double entire recipe. To make your cheese hot, just keep the blender running for a while, it will automatically heat the cheese up.

Beans and Corn Mix with Bell Pepper, Onion and Seasonings

Making the corn & bean mixture for the Notcho's

Rinse and drain your corn and beans. Once drained put into a bowl, add your seasonings the bell pepper and the onion. Let it sit to the side until you're ready to top your chips.

NOT-cho close up

Making your Not-cho platter

• Place your chips on your plate.
• Place the corn and bean mixture on top of the notchos.
• Drizzle with as much not-cho cheese as you like.
• Eat!

NOT-Cho Close Up

For those of you who are really watching your weight...here's a little something just for you! If you feel this is just way too "junk food" like for you...throw some lettuce, tomatoes and avocado on it and turn it into a taco salad! Either way enjoy the movies and the games in a healthy way!

Taco Salad

PLEASE NOTE! This site (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used:

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE-------


 

Copyright © 2011 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.