"Meateaters, these Nachos are NACH-YOS"
(just kidding)
(just kidding)
For those of you who do not know, I've been a vegetarian for about 2 1/2 years--pescatarian to be exact. A pescatarian eats fish occasionally, and keeps eggs/dairy in his or her diet, but cuts out all land animal meats (chicken, beef, pork, etc.). Being a vegetarian is fun because it pushes you to try cool new foods that you would have never tried had you not been a vegetarian, like tempeh for example. Tempeh is similar to tofu in that it is derived from soybeans. What is tofu you ask? Straight up soybeans and water basically, and it's usually found in veggie burgers or served in cold cubes at some salad bars. Tempeh contains soybeans PLUS brown rice, barley, and millet (soybeans + whole grains). I buy tempeh at Trader Joe's and it comes in a little block. It is a lot firmer than tofu and it is speckled brown instead of white.
When I was away at the Wanderlust Yoga Festival in Stratton, VT last weekend, there was a wood-fired pizza stand serving vegetarian/vegan pizzas. One pizza, dubbed "Yogi's Choice," was topped with BBQ tempeh, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and kale...YUM! My best friend Sam and I had to split one, and it was great! Inspired by this recipe, I decided to make it in a nacho variation: BBQ Tempeh Nachos.
BBQ Tempeh Nachos
-Organic tortilla chips (Late July is a good brand)
-BBQ sauce (look for one that does not contain high fructose corn syrup OR crazy high amounts of sugar)
-1 package tempeh, cut into small cubes
-1/2 yellow onion, diced
-2 yellow squash, cut into small cubes
-1-2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese depending on your nacho style
-1 handful of kale, cut into one-inch pieces
-jalapenos (optional)
-tomatoes (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and lightly grease with olive oil. Place the cubed zucchini on the cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take the zucchini out of the oven, flip the veggies with a spatula, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes or until it's just starting to turn brown/crisped in some spots.
3. Place the cubed tempeh in a bowl, gradually add barbecue sauce, and stir (a spoon or a clean hand works fine) until each cube is covered. Let sit for a few minutes.
4. Line another cookie sheet with tinfoil and lightly grease. Spread tortilla chips around the whole cookie sheet, and sprinkle about half of the shredded cheddar on the chips.
5. Top chips with the onion, kale, and jalapenos. When the squash is done and browned, spread it out evenly on the chips, and do the same with the BBQ tempeh. Return this tasty concoction to your 375 F preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Top cooked nachos with tomatoes, hot sauce, and whatever else you want! Get creative, fellow vegetarians and veggie-loving meat eaters!
Share with friends or family because it serves 3-4 people (or 2 hungry people) and enjoy! Oh and if you are wondering why I am so obsessed with kale--I'm growing it in my garden this summer (and it tastes great, obviously)! It is a super low-maintenance veggie to grow; kale just needs some water and sun each day and it shoots up like crazy. If you give this a shot in your own backyard, when you go to harvest kale, pull the pieces that are closest to the ground straight down, careful to not uproot the main stalk. Dark leafy greens should be consumed every day, and now that they are right in my backyard I have no excuse not to! Happy eating :)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and lightly grease with olive oil. Place the cubed zucchini on the cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take the zucchini out of the oven, flip the veggies with a spatula, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes or until it's just starting to turn brown/crisped in some spots.
3. Place the cubed tempeh in a bowl, gradually add barbecue sauce, and stir (a spoon or a clean hand works fine) until each cube is covered. Let sit for a few minutes.
4. Line another cookie sheet with tinfoil and lightly grease. Spread tortilla chips around the whole cookie sheet, and sprinkle about half of the shredded cheddar on the chips.
5. Top chips with the onion, kale, and jalapenos. When the squash is done and browned, spread it out evenly on the chips, and do the same with the BBQ tempeh. Return this tasty concoction to your 375 F preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Top cooked nachos with tomatoes, hot sauce, and whatever else you want! Get creative, fellow vegetarians and veggie-loving meat eaters!
Share with friends or family because it serves 3-4 people (or 2 hungry people) and enjoy! Oh and if you are wondering why I am so obsessed with kale--I'm growing it in my garden this summer (and it tastes great, obviously)! It is a super low-maintenance veggie to grow; kale just needs some water and sun each day and it shoots up like crazy. If you give this a shot in your own backyard, when you go to harvest kale, pull the pieces that are closest to the ground straight down, careful to not uproot the main stalk. Dark leafy greens should be consumed every day, and now that they are right in my backyard I have no excuse not to! Happy eating :)
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