It’s estimated that Americans will be a bunch of snacking fools on Super Bowl Sunday, consuming about 11 million pounds of potato chips, 8 million pounds of guacamole, and 4 million pounds of pretzels, just to name a few. But, all of this snacking doesn’t have to mean your health takes a back seat. In fact, this could be a great opportunity to introduce delicious and healthy snacks to your fellow football fans! And so, without further adieu, here is a queso dip made from a very unlikely source. Nope, not cheese. Not cashews. Eggplant! Once cooked, eggplant becomes a savory base for a spicy, creamy dip. Trust me. It will be a super bowl winner over that faux-cheese queso in a jar.

NACHO AVERAGE QUESO DIP

Adapted from the Vegan Cashew-less Dip from the Minimalist Baker

Serves ~6

Dairy free, nut-free, gluten-free

Ingredients:

• 7-9 rounds of eggplant (~ 1/2 of a medium eggplant), thinly sliced (1/4 in. thick)
• ~1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2-1 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1 1/2-2 cups unsweetened, plain almond milk
• 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast (see instructions)
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves freshly minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp jalapeño (optional)
• 1/4 cup chunky medium salsa, slightly drained. Or, 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 diced green chilies

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to high broil (~450 °F).
2. Slice eggplant into thin half rounds, then sprinkle both sides with a little salt. Set in a colander (to help draw out some moisture and bitterness). Let set for about 10-15 minutes, then rinse with cool water and thoroughly pat dry.
3. Arrange eggplant slices in foil on baking sheet, lightly spritz with olive oil on both sides, and sprinkle with a dash of salt.
4. Broil for 4-5 minutes on each side. Be careful not let eggplant burn. Flip at the halfway point to ensure slices are cooked evenly.
5. Once the eggplant is golden brown and tender on both sides, remove from the oven and wrap loosely in foil to steam.
6. After ~5-10 minutes, unwrap and peel the eggplant skin away. It should come off easily.
7. Meanwhile, sauté on med. heat, 1/4 cup diced onion until tender. Then, add minced garlic and cook for another minute (until aromatic).
8. In a food processor, combine eggplant, 1.5 cups almond milk, 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, sautéed onion and garlic mixture, spices, cornstarch or arrowroot, jalapeño, and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
9. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Feel free to add pinch more sea salt and a little more nutritional yeast. Add more almond milk to thin out.
10. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan and gently warm over low-med heat until it begins to thicken (~5 minutes).
11. NOTE: If it isn’t looking as thick as you want, use a simple roux mixture of: 2 Tbsp flour (all purpose or gluten free) + 1 Tbsp olive oil. Whisk together then stirl into queso dip.
12. Once the queso is hot and the thickness is just right, remove from heat and stir in drained salsa or tomato paste, along with drained green chilies.
13. Serve with warm chips or fresh veggies (bell peppers, celery, carrots, etc.)
14. Enjoy immediately or keep in the fridge up to a few days.

 Keep your eggplant slices thin to reduce broiling time.

 Add heat with more cayenne and paprika. Or, keep it mild with just a dash of both.

 After heating, the queso will be thick, creamy, and ready to eat.

Veggies are perfect for this dip. But, if you’re in a chip kinda’ mood these organic blue corn chips from Trader Joes’ have better ingredients than most store-bought chips.

 Enjoy!

🙂 Coach Jentry