Loaded Vegetarian Nachos With Lentils And Blackbeans

I’ve recently been letting my daughter decide the menu for one night a week and tonight she decided she wanted nachos for dinner. Now I obviously wasn’t going to allow her to just eat chips and cheese for dinner so I decided to make loaded nachos with plenty of veggies and vegetarian protein. My daughter couldn’t get enough of these and my meat-eating husband also loved them.

You can adjust the chilli powder based on the level of spice you prefer, and if you really like your nachos spicy you can add jalapeños to increase the heat. I always used sprouted lentils in my recipes along with dry beans that I pre-soak and cook with Kombu (for better digestion and nutrient absorption) but if you’re looking for something quick and easy you can always use canned legumes – Eden’s organic canned beans are cooked with Kombu and their cans are BPA-free.

I haven’t tried making a vegan version yet but you could try subbing the cheese for a vegan cheese sauce like this one.

These loaded vegetarian nachos are hearty enough to be eaten as a meal (serves 3-4 people) but can also be shared as an appy.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4-5 large button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 cup green lentils
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups black beans (equal to 1/2 cup dry or 1 can)

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2-3 cups of medium cheddar cheese (grated)
• 1 bag of stone-ground tortilla chips

Toppings (optional):

• Green onions
• Black olives
• Jalapeños
• Red onions

To serve:

• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the lentils, vegetable broth, cumin, paprika, chilli powder and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until lentils are soft and water has been completely absorbed. Stir in black beans.

2. Preheat oven to 400*F. Layer tortilla chips on a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips, then sprinkle half the peppers over the cheese, followed by half the lentil mixture.

3. Spread another layer of tortilla chips, followed by the remaining cheese, peppers, and lentil mixture. Add any desired toppings.

4. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and chips are lightly browned on the edges. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

Article written by Kiran Sidhu, Holistic Nutritionist. To schedule a 1-1 nutrition consultation with Kiran, select “book an appointment” from the menu bar and choose the service that best fits your nutrition counselling needs.

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