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Nachos with a Melty Cashew Cheese, Lemon Herb Sour Cream and Guacamole (gf)

These nachos are fun to make for a party and can feed a crowd in no time flat. And this cashew cheese is redic! It’s melty and gooey, and can firm up in the refrigerator IF you have leftovers (the chances of this are slim to none). For dramatic effect, pour the cheese on the chips while your guests are watching, and listen to them “ooh” and “aah.”

Serves 6-8

Cashew Cheese Ingredients

3 cups unsweetened almond or soymilk

¼ cup agar agar flakes

1½ cups cashews

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¾ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon smoky paprika

1 tablespoon light miso paste (non-barley)

¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes

2 teaspoons agave nectar

2 teaspoons neutral tasting oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Lemon Herb Sour Cream Ingredients

1 cup vegan sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Guacamole Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about ½ lime)

¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus to taste

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped

Remaining Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

2 teaspoons neutral tasting oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 large bag unsalted corn tortilla chips

4 scallions (green onions), sliced into thin rounds

10-12 black pitted olives, sliced into rounds

Directions

For the cashew cheese: Heat a medium (4-quart) pot. Add almond or soymilk. When warm, add agar agar flakes and bring to a simmer. Cook mixture over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until agar agar is mostly dissolved. Set aside.

In a food processor or high-powered blender, add cashews, garlic powder, sea salt, paprika, miso, nutritional yeast, agave, oil and lemon juice.

If using a high-powered blender, put in dry ingredients and almond or soymilk mixture all at once. If using a food processor, add dry ingredients first, pulse about 10-15 times, then add almond or soymilk mixture, blending until smooth and uniform. Mixture can be cooled and reheated to melt.

For the lemon herb sour cream: Whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, agave, dill, sea salt and black pepper. Set aside to develop flavors for 15 minutes.

For the guacamole: Peel avocado and dice, placing in a large bowl. Add lime juice, sea salt and black pepper. Mash with a fork until creamy. Fold in red onion and set aside.

In a small (2-quart) pot over medium heat, add beans, sea salt, chipotle pepper, oil and vinegar, and heat until cooked through. Remove from heat.

To assemble: Place a layer of chips on a large platter or individual small plates. Spread beans evenly over chips. Add another layer of chips and pour a layer of melted cashew cheese. Top with guacamole, scallions and olives. Drizzle with lemon herb sour cream. Serve immediately.

The Sporkie Scoop

FOR YOUR SMARTS Agar agar (a.k.a. agar) is an amazing seaweed used to thicken sauces and is 5 times stronger than gelatin! Not only does it possess tons of minerals and amino acids, but because it grows in the ocean under a lot of pressure and battling the currents, it develops powerful polysaccharides, which are used in gums for all types of cooking and scientific purposes.

FOR YOUR PARTS Eating dill is a great idea after a night of heavy drinking. It helps detox your liver, ridding it of toxic chemicals—or a stiff dirty martini.⁶