Since adopting a pretty much all gluten and dairy-free way of eating I've come up with some cool dishes/ recipe combos and this little quinoa lentil chili nacho recipe is most definitely one of my favs.
Below I'm including the recipe for the chili that I modified to my liking from Pinterest (but you can totally check out/ make the other version if you prefer)
Now, if you're not much of a cook like I was when I first started my healthy eating journey, feel free to just make a batch of lentils with kidney beans and start the nachos from there- BUT if you are trying to get fancy, this chili is most definitely worth the time it takes to make. Not to mention you'll have tons of leftovers from it to enjoy on its own or to mix it up and make different dishes just like these nachos!
So how did this little recipe come about anyway?
Well, usually I always keep a few different side dishes made and stored in the refrigerator so throughout the week I can easily grab, dump in a bowl, and heat up (which is honestly probably the best tip I have for you in this post is to keep a couple of single items pre-made so you don't have to worry about full-on cooking every day.) One of these dishes I usually always have cooked is a pot of fresh quinoa (quinoa is also relatively easy to make and only takes around 15-20 minutes). That's really how this recipe and how so many of my recipes are formulated, based on what I have made and can throw together.
Now, on to my Vegan Lentil Chili Nachos!
And btw if you're here because you're also a lover of tex-mex & Hispanic foods minus the gluten and dairy, be sure to check out my other blog post on black bean and butternut squash enchiladas and my Instagram post with a recipe for my black bean tacos ( both are super DELISH!)
To Make the Chili:
2 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 can kidney or pinto beans (drained and rinse)
2 cup red lentils
5-6 ounce can tomato sauce or finely diced tomatoes
5 cups vegetable broth
2 medium red onion (chopped)
2 red bell pepper (chopped)
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp coconut sugar
5 tbsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
4 bay leaves
1 -2 tsp sea salt
Chili Directions:
Chop your onion into diced pieces and add to a pan (or sautee function on an instant-pot) with the coconut oil.
Saute until translucent, about 5-10 minutes.
Add in the bell pepper and saute an additional 5 minutes.
Add in all of your spices, coconut sugar, salt, and bay leaves and mix well.
Add in all remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil ( Cancel saute function, set to pressure cook for 25 minutes)
Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for about 25 minutes stirring occasionally to ensure the chili doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.
If the chili isn’t reaching your desired thickness, let it simmer with the top off for about 10 minutes.
To Make Nachos:
Lentil Chili (1/2 - 1 Cup)
Quinoa (Any Color)
Cheese of Choice ( I'm using a dairy-free Provolone from a brand called Follow Your Heart)
Chips of Choice ( I'm using a grain-free chip from Siete foods)
Nacho Directions:
Step 1 is to cook your chili and quinoa of choice according to the package and combine 1/2 - 1 cup of each in a bowl.
Step 2 is while everything is still hot, sprinkle your cheese over the top of the dish and let it melt and get all nacho gooey like 🤤
Step 3 grab your chips of choice and start dipping away! ( optional to add avocado cubes to top off)
Let me know in the comments below or on Instagram if you try out this recipe or any of my other GF/DF tex-mex recipes I'd love to see how they turned out!
And if this is your first time reading around my blog, be sure to check out how I can help you get your healthy eating and lifestyle in check with my 1:1 coaching programs.
Until the next tex-mex recipe,
Thank you guys for being here for it!
-Kamela
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