Friday Night Nachos + Product Thoughts
Ah, what a time to be plant based. We've arrived! I can go to Dunkin Donuts or Burger King or even stinkin' White Castle and eat like a normal person?! Swoon. It's really so incredible and I'm super proud of the OG veegs paving the way for this history making time in our lives. I just read an article today about African-Americans being the highest growing population of new vegans. Dude. That's amazing.
I was in Aldi last night for a few odds and ins and Whole Foods just delivered my main stuff. So in the spirit of appreciating all of the amazing plant-based options we have now, I decided to do a product review whilst making Friday Night Nachos™.
<3 p="">
Friday Night Nachos™ are exactly what you think. They're the nachos you want when you're watching the game with friends or watching a rom-com in your grossest pajamas, day old makeup and dumbest hair with a one-girl pitcher of margaritas. Oh, and kids like 'em too. shrug.
These are the most basic nachos in the world, but sometimes I crave basic stadium nachos. Just like sometimes I crave Taco Bell. I know it's not real food, but the heart wants what it wants.
The Products: Whole Foods 365 Plant Based Mozzarella, ALDI Beefless Crumbles, Whole Foods 365 Plant Based Cheddar, Tofutti Sour Cream
To kick things off, I put some store bought tortilla chips on a baking sheet in the oven on 200. This is a must unless you're making your own fresh tortilla chips which I was too lazy to do on this day.
On to Aldi's Beefless Crumbles which are gloriously pea protein free! Lots of meat alternatives use pea protein, and my son is allergic so this hit my cart with quickness.
I've found that the key to recreating carnivore classics is just to stick with the same cooking techniques. So over medium heat, I sauteed 1/2 cup of chopped onions, half a thinly sliced jalapeno and 1 clove of minced garlic till soft and then added the bag of crumbles and a can of drained, then smashed chili beans. I added 1 envelope of sazon. I sauteed all that about 10 minutes and added 2 tablespoons of sofrito I had. Next, I added quite a bit of black pepper and maybe a teaspoon of Adobo and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric. Just shy of 1/2 cup of water went into the pan, and I simmered the mixture for 10 minutes on medium low heat. Stirring every couple minutes.
On to Aldi's Beefless Crumbles which are gloriously pea protein free! Lots of meat alternatives use pea protein, and my son is allergic so this hit my cart with quickness.
I've found that the key to recreating carnivore classics is just to stick with the same cooking techniques. So over medium heat, I sauteed 1/2 cup of chopped onions, half a thinly sliced jalapeno and 1 clove of minced garlic till soft and then added the bag of crumbles and a can of drained, then smashed chili beans. I added 1 envelope of sazon. I sauteed all that about 10 minutes and added 2 tablespoons of sofrito I had. Next, I added quite a bit of black pepper and maybe a teaspoon of Adobo and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric. Just shy of 1/2 cup of water went into the pan, and I simmered the mixture for 10 minutes on medium low heat. Stirring every couple minutes.
Thoughts: The Aldi's crumbles are very similar to MorningStar Farms and Gardein's. They cook the same, with the same consistency and flavor. There's nothing remarkable about them, but that's why they're great. They're the Choose Your Own Adventure of food. They're a blank canvas. And as far as meat realness, I've made these in tacos for many people who were totally convinced they were eating meat. There's that.
I made the cheese sauce next and I gotta give myself props on this cuz it turned out more amazing than I anticipated. In a saucepan over medium low heat, I mixed together a heaping 4 tablespoons of the sour cream and about 1 cup of water until it was the consistency of milk. I added a friendly dash of Adobo, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, pinch of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and mixed thoroughly.
Slowly, I added 3/4 cups of mozzarella, 3/4 cups of cheddar, 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast and covered the pot, mixing regularly. You'll know when the cheese sauce is cheese sauce so take it off the heat when you've arrived.
Thoughts: The Tofutti sour cream is awful, yet a dazzling staple my vegan kitchen can't live without. Out of the tub, it tastes nothing like sour cream. Added to sour cream belonging foods, it's dazzling! Should you buy it? A resounding yes! To cook with. Not to straight up eat.
Thoughts: on the Whole Foods 365 Plant Based Cheese line. Um. Give em all your money, that stuff is fire! I've used the mozzarella on pizza and it doesn't melt the way you want it to, but it's light years better than Daiya. It tastes cheesy, not cheese-esque and it really shines in this sauce. My extremely real cheese-loving and annoyingly picky kid asked for seconds. He. Asked. For. Seconds. Y'all don't even know what an endorsement that is.
I took the chips out of the oven, heaped on some meat, cheese, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, habanero sauce and jalapenos and went in like sin. I was very happy and sweaty girl.
Salud!
t.
I made the cheese sauce next and I gotta give myself props on this cuz it turned out more amazing than I anticipated. In a saucepan over medium low heat, I mixed together a heaping 4 tablespoons of the sour cream and about 1 cup of water until it was the consistency of milk. I added a friendly dash of Adobo, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, pinch of turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper and mixed thoroughly.
Slowly, I added 3/4 cups of mozzarella, 3/4 cups of cheddar, 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast and covered the pot, mixing regularly. You'll know when the cheese sauce is cheese sauce so take it off the heat when you've arrived.
Thoughts: The Tofutti sour cream is awful, yet a dazzling staple my vegan kitchen can't live without. Out of the tub, it tastes nothing like sour cream. Added to sour cream belonging foods, it's dazzling! Should you buy it? A resounding yes! To cook with. Not to straight up eat.
Thoughts: on the Whole Foods 365 Plant Based Cheese line. Um. Give em all your money, that stuff is fire! I've used the mozzarella on pizza and it doesn't melt the way you want it to, but it's light years better than Daiya. It tastes cheesy, not cheese-esque and it really shines in this sauce. My extremely real cheese-loving and annoyingly picky kid asked for seconds. He. Asked. For. Seconds. Y'all don't even know what an endorsement that is.
I took the chips out of the oven, heaped on some meat, cheese, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, habanero sauce and jalapenos and went in like sin. I was very happy and sweaty girl.
Salud!
t.
Comments