Plant-Powered Nachos

The other day a training buddy teased me about my plant-based diet.

“How did you enjoy your lettuce leaf for dinner last night?” he asked.

I laughed and then showed him a photo of the awesome plant-powered nachos Barbara and I had had for supper.  He was impressed and intrigued. And then he started asking me questions about eating plant-based. Especially after I told him we had a beer with the meal.

I decided to share the photo on a Facebook group called “Plant Based Endurance Athletes” and the members started demanding the recipe.  (Note: NEVER share a photo of a delicious meal without a recipe!)

I assumed making veggie nachos was going to be pretty simple but my talented partner added a few special ingredients.

We have this occasionally when we want a treat after a long training week but want a healthier plant-based version of pub nachos! This recipe is super easy and quick to prepare. It makes 4 generous portions (or great on a platter to share with guests).

Feel free to be creative and add your favorite fixins!

1 package (350g) corn chips (you can buy whole wheat chips or flaxseed chips but who are we kidding? They’re still fried corn chips!)
2 Roma tomatoes, diced (try to drain them a little, soggy nacho chips really dim your karma)
1 large red pepper, diced.
2 green onions, diced.
1/2 cup black beans – rinsed
100 g plant-based shredded cheese (our current favorite meltable vegan cheese is Earth Island pepper jack and cheddar shreds)
300 g veggie ground (we like Yves veggie cuisine)
1 cup Mexican salsa (we buy the fresh kind from the deli section. Mild, medium or Hot, you choose)
1 tbsp.  Italian hot spread sauce (it’s got oil in it, so if you’re an oil free person, find a substitute like sriracha sauce or chopped jalapeno peppers)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed garlic

Heat a frying pan on medium heat and crumble the veggie ground into the pan.
Add the pepper flakes, cumin and garlic and stir until well mixed.

Take a large baking sheet and line the inside with aluminum foil.  (Barbara and I always argue whether it’s shiny side up or not. Does it matter?)
Sprinkle the nacho chips evenly on the tray. (you may eat the broken chips at this point, scientific studies prove broken nacho chips are calorie-free.)

Sprinkle the contents from the frying pan over the chips.

Add the pepper, onions, beans, and cheese evenly over chips (if one partner has a control issue, best to delegate this task to them for both a 100% perfect distribution and a mellower dinnertime experience.)
Add your hot sauce equally over the top.

Heat in the oven under broil until the cheese is melting (usually about 5 minutes)

Serve with salsa on the side.

It goes great with beer! We’ve also tried non or low alchohol beer. They are lower in calories, so we don’t feel as guilty over the fried nacho chips.