Beanfields recently sent me a box of their chips to try. As a reformed Doritios addict, I was really excited about trying them. I eat lots of veggies throughout the day, so I have no problem with snacking on a few chips here and there.
Beanfields chips are made with beans, rice, and seasonings. Their flavors include unsalted, sea salt, nacho, pico de gallo, barbecue, ranch, and salt and pepper. Each flavor is better than the last, and I have a difficult time picking my favorite. While they are vaguely reminiscent of those triangle-shaped corn chips I grew up eating, they taste lighter and healthier. The great news is that they’re all vegan, including the nacho flavor! If that wasn’t enough, each serving has 6 grams of serving and 5 grams of protein. These chips are gluten-free, and they’re also Non-GMO Project Verified.
While I did enjoy nibbling on Beanfields chips right out of the bag, I just couldn’t help but want to make a heartier snack of them, so I turned them into one of my favorites – nachos!
These nachos make a great party snack, but they’re great for a quick and easy dinner, too – kind of like a deconstructed taco. When I do have nachos for dinner, I serve them with a big heaping serving of shredded lettuce on top, which makes them more like an upside down taco salad. I topped these nachos with the cashew sour cream from my Raw Tacos recipe.
Vegan Chili Cheese Nachos
For the Chili
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, such as avocado
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1½ cups cooked black beans (1 15-ounce can)
- 1 ½ cup diced tomatoes (1 15-ounce can, drained)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Cheese
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for two hours and drained
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Nachos
- 8-ounce bag Beanfields Rice and Bean Chips, Unsalted or Sea Salt Flavor
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup scallion, sliced
- Vegan sour cream, optional
Make the Chili
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sautée for about 5 minutes, until it becomes fragrant and begins to brown.
Add the black beans, diced tomato, and spices, and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, until everything is heated throughout.
Make the Cheese
Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy
Assemble the Nachos
Lay the chips out in a large dish or platter. Pile on the chili, cheese, and the restof the ingredients.
Serves 6 to 8 as a snack, or 2 to 4 as a meal.
Post reprinted with permission from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen.
