Mexican-Style Meatless Monday

Vegetarian Nachos with Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

I wanted to make nachos tonight because it's a really easy no-bake dinner. When I went to reach for the bag of tortilla chips I generally have on hand, I realized we were out! However, I did have a package of organic blue corn tortillas that I could easily make into chips! If you don't want to make your own chips, you can use your favorite brand from a bag.

1 package organic blue or yellow corn tortillas (I got Whole Foods brand)

1/4 cup canola oil

Salt to taste

Stack the tortillas (so you can cut them all at once) and cut into 6ths (or whatever size you'd prefer). Prepare a plate or platter covered with paper towels and keep it nearby. Keep your salt on hand as well, since you need to season the chips immediately after they come out of the pan.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a small piece of tortilla - if it starts to sizzle right away, your oil is ready. Add a little bit of salt right into the oil to infuse the flavor into the tortillas. Cook cut tortillas in hot oil on each side until slightly browned, then turn over and repeat the process. As the oil gets hotter, the cook time will decrease, so don't walk away from the pan. Transport cooked chips to your paper towel lined plate either in one layer or in a few layers separated by more sheets of paper towel. Salt immediately while they are hot so the salt will stick.

There's nothing like the bright, tart flavor of fresh homemade tomatillo salsa to transport your taste buds to Mexico!

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

7-8 fresh medium sized tomatillos, skins removed, washed and dried

2-3 cloves fresh garlic

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Juice of one lime

1/2 - 1 tsp salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/8th tsp cumin powder

1/4 fresh poblano pepper, seeds removed (optional - I just happened to have one on hand)

1/2 tsp canola or olive oil

Small amount of water if necessary - depending how thick your salsa turns out

In a blender or food processor, chop the garlic and cilantro. Add tomatillos, poblano, salt, pepper, cumin, lime juice, and oil. Pulse the mixture until it comes together but remains a little chunky - if it is too thick and won't blend, add a touch of water to get the mixture going. Can be made ahead. Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for about a week.

I had this bean and soyrizo mixture leftover from a cooking class I taught last week, they are a great addition to any Mexican style meal and you can use the rest for these nachos.

Smokey Black Beans with Soy Chorizo

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 small onion, chopped

3 tbs. Trader Joe's soy chorizo

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2-3 drops chipotle chili sauce or your favorite hot sauce

2-3 tbs. fresh chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

2 tbs. olive oil

In a pot or deep pan, heat oil over a medium flame. Saute the onions and cook until softened - about 3-4 minutes. Add the soy chorizo and saute about 2 minutes (this has so much flavor you really don't need any other seasonings - even salt). Add the garlic and saute another minute, then add beans, lime juice, cilantro, and chili or hot sauce. Cook another few minutes until heated.

If you're feeling particularly lazy and don't feel like preparing the beans as described, here's a quicker version that will still go great on the nachos:

Open a can of black beans and pour into a bowl. Add 1 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Mix together with fresh chopped cilantro and a few drops of chipotle or other hot sauce. You can heat this up in a pot, or just pour over the nachos right before microwaving.

Chipotle Crema

3/4 cup sour cream, Mexican crema, or tofu sour cream

2-3 drops chipotle chili sauce (more if you like it hotter)

Squeeze of fresh lime juice

Other ingredients:

A few tbs of your favorite red salsa (I used Frontera Grill's roasted tomato salsa)

1/4 cup fresh Mexican cheese such as Queso Fresco or Queso Colombito (if you don't have either of these on hand, you can use a bag of shredded Mexican blend - it just won't taste as authentic)

1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese (optional - but a great addition)
Fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large, microwave safe dish or platter, arrange a layer of chips and top with a layer of bean mixture and a sprinkling of cheese. Repeat until beans and cheese are used up. Microwave the dish for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with dollops of tomatillo and red salsa and drizzle with chipotle crema. Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.