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:

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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!

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Raw Vegan Lasagna

When I first decided to give plant based foods a try, the first home made meal I made was lasagna. I mean, I had dibbled and dabbled in the decadent raw vegan desserts for about a year before I decided to make plant based foods a complete part of my lifestyle. So as I was strolling down memory lane, I thought I'd share this recipe with you this week. Trust me, you'll be impressed at how simple this lasagna is to make and how lovely tasting it is.

RAW TOMATO SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz sundried tomatoes
• 3 tomatoes
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sage
• pinch of morgoram
• a few pieces of jalepeno peppers
• a few dashes of nutritional yeast

RAW VEGAN CHEESE INGREDIENTS

• 2.5 cups of raw cashews (pre-soaked) 
• 2 large cloves of garlic 
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp parsely
• 1/2 tsp of onion powder
• 1 whole lemon (juiced) 
• 2/3 cups of water
• 1 pint of portabella mushrooms (marinated over night in olive oil, water, celtic sea salt and pepper)

LASAGNA PASTA AND LAYER INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 raw organic zucchinis
• 5 oz of raw organic spinach

MAKING THE RAW VEGAN TOMATO SAUCE

• Take all of the ingredients, throw them in your blender or food processor and blend/process until its thick but smooth like a paste. 
• Put in a bowl.
• Let it set in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your lasagna.

*To see how the tomato sauce should look click here.

TIP: Remember, you're not cooking this, so you want your sauce a little thicker than normal so that it will set correctly in the lasagna. Not too thick, but not runny either. If it's too runny put more sundried tomatoes in...if it's too thick, put more tomatoes or add a lil water.

MAKING THE RAW VEGAN CHEESE

• Take all of the ingredients (except the mushrooms), throw them all in your blender or food processor and blend/process until thick and creamy like cheese. 
• Put into a bowl. 
• Drain, rinse and chop your marinated mushrooms to desired size. I typically like them finely chopped. Then fold the mushrooms into the cheese. 
• Let it set in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble your lasagna. 

*To see how the cheese should look click here.

*To learn how animal cheese is not good for you, click here.

PUTTING TOGETHER THE RAW VEGAN LASAGNA

Prep: Before you can begin to put the lasagna together, you need to make your raw vegan pasta. This is done with zucchini. I simply took a potato peeler, peeled off the outer green layer and discarded it, using only the white of the zucchini. Then I continued to peel thin layers of the zucchini until there was nothing else to peel. Took about 5 mins. Then I marinated the zucchini for about 2-3 hours at room temperature in olive oil, celtic sea salt and a lil black pepper.

When you're ready to assemble your lasagna...

• Take the tomato sauce and line the bottom of your casserole bowl with a little bit of it. Spread the tomato paste all around the bottom. This will help your lasagna not to stick. 
• Then put your first veggie pasta layer (the zucchini) down. Make sure you place each zucchini piece close to each other and cover the entire contents of the bottom of the pan. 
• Now top with your cheese mixture. You only need a thin layer of cheese. Don't be tempted to lay it on thick. Trust me, you'll still taste the cheese if you use a thin layer. This cheese is thick, creamy and tasty and trust me, you don't want too large of a section of cheese...so be careful to spread it as thin as possible. 
• Then layer with your spinach. Cover all of the cheese with your spinach leaves. 
• Lastly, repeat the layering process...tomato sauce, zucchini, cheese, spinach, until there is either nothing else to layer, or until your pan is full. 
• Let it sit either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  

TIP: If refrigerated. Be sure to then sit it out at room temperature for at least 20 mins before eating. 

THEN DEVOUR!!!

This was my actual dinner plate...served on a saucer.

Eating with a plant based diet, you'll find you don't need as much to eat as you did before. The reason is because you're getting ALL of the nutritional value of the foods you eat. You're not cooking them out and you're not using processed foods that cover them up and over power the nutrients with toxins. Thus, getting fulfilled with less.

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:

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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!

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DIARY OF A FORMER CHEESE ADDICT

The day I decided to turn vegan, I remember reading something about animal "secretions" (don't worry I won't get into the gory details) that deterred me a great deal from wanting cheese ever again. Just a week prior, I decided to turn vegetarian, so why not go vegan? What did I have to lose? I mean, it can't be that hard, right? 

W R O N G!!!!!  W R O N G!!!!!  W R O N G!!!!!  W R O N G!!!!!

If any “American Vegan” tells you that its easy to be vegan and live in America, I'm here to show you a vegan that is either, (a) on illegal substances, (b) in denial, (c) on illegal substances AND in denial or (d) all of the above! (If you’re wondering why I stress ‘American Vegan’, its because I’ve travelled quite a bit and in Asia and the Middle Eastern territories, they don’t eat a lot of dairy products, let alone cheese, so its so much easier for them.) LOL But seriously, being a vegan has its emotional ups and downs. There are moments when the going is so good I dare not look back. I mean my skin is beautiful-I have that "pregnant woman" glow. My energy is through the roof. I do more in one day than most people do all week! Then there are those moments when I'm literally dreaming of cheesy goodness so hard that I wake up with the taste in my mouth. One of my dreams I was skipping through a green field with smoked gouda in my hands singing, "The Hills are Alive with the sound of...CHEESE!"...Cheese is the legal crack, I tell ya! No really it is...

Casein (from Latin caseus "cheese") fills our bodies with mucus, making it more readily realistic that its almost impossible for us to inhale cheese (as most of us with the standard American diet does) and still think our bodies are absorbing real nutrients from the foods we are saturating it with. The more I learned about the dangers of this great tasting food, the more I realized I needed to give this ‘cheese thing’ up. The more I gave it up, the more I realized how strong of a hold it had on me. I would wake up in cold sweats. I even had a twitch or two from the lack of having CHEESE! And then it would pass and life would be great! (you know on that day!) Then…then…*wait for it* then I'd try a little of the cheese...and wake up sick and would only have to detox myself from it all over again! (crackhead tendencies-smh) – If you get a free moment google “casein cheese” and see what you find.

My wretched love affair with cheese had me in that “drug user” syndrome. I would eat a little of it. Then stop for long periods of times, only to find myself “tasting a little” at, you know, “social gatherings”, or I’m out to dinner with friends and we’re at a restaurant where the choice is meat with a side of meat…or cheesy (*insert vegetable here*) dish…until finally, I’m hiding down the cheese isle in the grocery store like someone is going to report me to the cheese anonymous authorities for buying a block of smoked gouda because I need my fix! SMH…yes this was me!

I don't drink or smoke and my diet is impeccable. In fact, I pride myself on having a "clean diet." I had to question, how could a food have this strong of a hold? I mean after all, this same food is in our lovely American pyramid, stipulating we should have a certain amount of this per day! REALLY???? WAIT…WAIT…WAIT… This would mean that our lovely government...Oh no...no...not even going to go there...I mean I pay taxes, I vote, I’m very well educated, and quite cultured from my travels, not to mention I'm a law abiding American Citizen and surely my wonderful American country would not...dare not...I mean we are in the land of the brave and the free!...yeah, I’m so not even going to go there, cause that's not it...it can’t be *smacks my hand for fathoming the thought*…so moving right along...

Karyn Calabrese's research shows us that "in 1981, a group of scientists found that casein, the main protein in dairy products, actually contain opiates. When casein is digested it has one-tenth the opiate strength of morphine!"[1] So this would mean its true! I was addicted to cheese! Shut The Front Door! It’s so nice to be right! But, umm, how do I rid myself of this? Hhhmm...It seems I need to take my veganism a step further...and call in the big guns. *rawhide playing in the background*

I started paying closer attention to my friends who were Raw Vegans. I would even click “like” on every vegan and raw vegan page on Facebook until my surroundings (virtually) were so inundated with raw vegans. I’d have to eventually adapt to my surroundings. I mean I really started watching them closely. How they ate and exercised absolutely astounded me. So I started to slowly implement the raw vegan diet into my lifestyle. At first, like everyone else, I thought this is just crazy, there's no way I'm eating 8 cashews and an apple for lunch and going to be full. Or, I could do a salad every once in a while, but not everyday...all day everyday, Chile please! *that was my Ochocinco voice* I mean the harsh reality was if I didn’t eat a lot of salad before… nine times out of ten, I wouldn’t start now. 

I quickly learned how silly I was to think raw vegans never ate cake, ice-cream, milkshakes, nachos, pizza, crackers or even…CHEESE! *angels from heaven came down to sing for me* Little did I know, Raw Vegans eat like everyone else...its just prepared differently. Now was not the time for me to judge anyone but myself. I had to reevaluate the way society dictated the way I ate. I also had to reevaluate the way I thought about and prepared my food. This took a lot of “growing up” on my part to do. (self realization)

The more I learned, the more I let go of my cheese addition and had now become addicted to cooking and un-cooking vegan and raw vegan foods. I am now a Vegan with a 70% Raw Vegan diet. I've come a long way and still have a long way to go, but I'm enjoying the journey! I love making the soul foods I grew up on, except in a raw vegan way! I've made lasagna's, fettucini alfredo, mac and cheese, greens, sweet potato pies, cheesecakes, ice-creams, milks, cookies, milkshakes, caramel, nacho’s, chocolate-and all raw vegan! So every delectable bite is good for you. It’s eating with a purpose. I've discovered food with a purpose! My life now has some meaning. My food has purpose! I feel like I just discovered how to make peace here on earth...and so there ya have it...I'm making peace by sharing my recipes for free! You get to walk with me as I journey through the rest of my life and discover new recipes and you get to make them too!

P.S. I remember telling one of my raw vegan girlfriends once that I couldn't be raw vegan because I just couldn't imagine not ever eating cheese. Now I look back on that and get a chuckle. *smiling*

---

[1] Calabrese, Karyn. Soak Your Nuts. Summertown, TN: Book Publishing Company, 2011.

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:

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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!

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Copyright © 2011 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.