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9/19/2011

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: NOT-cho's!!! (a vegan alternat...


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

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