FitVeggieLife

Everybody loves nachos, topped a mile high, and full of flavor. Here’s a good vegan version that’s perfect for group events, or solo dolo, either way, they’re going to taste bomb af.

I used a vegan queso recipe from thug kitchen, I started with this first.

Then I threw together my guac, pan-fried the corn to throw in the guac, and finally heated up the “meat” crumbles. The salsa I had store bought, any of you over-achievers can take it a step further and make that sh*t at home for extra tastiness… I, on the other hand, decided to go the lazy route.

When everything was prepped I got a large plate, threw some bomb chips from Aldi on there, and piled high. My order was salsa, guac, queso, meat crumbles, and a lil bit more salsa, the order doesn’t matter so put it together however you want!

Ingredients

Butternut squash queso(ish) dip

1 ½ cups butternut squash puree*

½ cup diced yellow onion

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup vegetable broth or water

1 cup diced tomatoes with their juices**

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 jalapenos, minced

1 tablespoon lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

Guacamole

2 avocados

salt to taste

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tomato, diced

1/2 c corn

1 tsp oil

1/4 onion, diced

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder

Other ingredients

1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips

1 container of your favorite salsa, or homemade

1 package of Lightlife smart ground meatless crumbles or another meatless alternative of choice

Optional toppings

chopped cilantro

sliced jalapenos

black beans

Butternut Squash Instructions 

1. Throw the butternut squash puree and onion in a blender and run until it looks smooth. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika and set it aside.
2. Grab a medium-sized soup pot and warm the olive oil over medium heat. Throw in the flour and spice mixture and keep stirring until it starts to thicken up and smell kinda toasty. You’ll be making a roux. Grab a small whisk and slowly add the vegetable broth while you whisk. It will start to look like little lumps of playdough.  Add the diced tomatoes and all their juices and keep stirring, it should be a lot smoother looking now with the only chunks being those tasty as hell tomatoes.
3. Now pour in the butternut squash mix, the nutritional yeast, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, and salt. Stir well so there aren’t any chunks, and turn down the heat to low. Let everything simmer together for 3-5 minutes so that the flavors get all mixed up and the sauce thickens. Serve warm and right away.

* Yeah you can use a can but it’s easy to make. Skin and chop up a butternut squash into chunks about the size of a dime until you get about 3 cups. Throw it in a pot with a steamer basket and some water, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the squash is tender. Throw it in a blender or food processor and boom, puree.

** Canned is cool here.

Makes 2 ½ cups total, enough for 6 hungry motherfuckers

Recipe used from the Thug Kitchen page.

Guacamole Instructions

1. Get a small/medium bowl, halve the avocados, remove the pit, and place in your bowl. Mash with a fork to reach your desired guac consistency, I get mine to be pretty smooth.
2. Add in the salt, lime juice, and tomato, mix well.
3. In a small frying pan, heat your olive oil and cook up the corn for about 3 minutes or until the kernels are starting to brown and pop. Remove and place in your guac bowl, mixing well. Save the pan if you’re going to heat up “meat” crumbles or some faux alternative meat topping.
4. Add the onion, cilantro and spices, giving it a final mix, taste and see if you’re missing any spices or salt and adjust accordingly.

Meat crumbles

1. In the same pan you pan-fried the corn, heat up the crumbles here for about 5 minutes or until you can hear it cooking and steaming. Remove from heat and get ready to scoop from the pan when you’re prepping the nachos.

Putting it together

1. Grab a big plate, or small, your choice, and throw on your chips. From there top with all the toppings, your queso, the guacamole, the meat crumbles, and salsa. You can also top with freshly chopped cilantro, black beans and sliced jalapenos.
2. Enjoy tf out of it!!!

I personally made myself a fat serving of this and didn’t share… I know, I’m a monster. But, this could potentially serve 6 or more, just throw it on a huge plate and enjoy during a game or any gathering, it’s a guaranteed hit! Who doesn’t love nachos?!