In my last post, I shared an idea for healthy nachos using thinly sliced apples as the base, and today I have another raw nacho idea for you! While the apple nachos went in more of a dessert direction, these nachos go the savoury route, making them a fun option for a light lunch.
This time, the nachos are made up of very thin slices of jicama, the Mexican root vegetable that resembles a turnip. I love jicama, but I find it hard to get a perfectly sweet and crisp one - more often than not, I end up with one that's rotten inside or too grainy and bitter tasting. So if anyone has any tips on how to select a good jicama, I'd love to hear them!
When you do get a good jicama though, they're just so refreshing to eat, since they're composed mostly of water, like cucumbers. And that's the perfect word to describe these nachos: refreshing!
To make these nachos, layers of super thin, crisp jicama slices are topped with a juicy, sweet tropical fruit salsa, a spicy taco nut "meat" crumble, and a bright, fresh lime-cilantro sauce to bring everything together.
While it did take some time to prepare each of the components, it was worth the effort for all of the fresh flavours that complemented each other so well. Plus one bonus of raw nachos is that once you've assembled your plate, they're ready to eat - no waiting in the oven for them to cook first!
Of course, the other bonus with raw nachos is that they taste so much lighter than the cheese and sour cream covered tortilla chip version. I loved that I could eat a whole plate of these nachos myself and still feel good afterwards - I had planned on only eating half, but I found it too hard to stop eating them, so you might want to make a double batch if you plan on sharing these!
Raw Jicama Nachos with Fruit Salsa and Taco Nut Crumbles
Inspired by Fragrant Vanilla Cake
Salsa
1/2 cup finely diced pineapple
1/2 cup finely diced ripe mango
1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Sauce
1/2 cup packed cilantro
Juice of one lime
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tbsp raw agave or honey
1/4 cup diced pineapple
Taco Nut Crumble
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp raw walnuts
2 tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp chili powder*
1/4 tsp cumin*
1/8 tsp cayenne*
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp tamari
1 tsp olive oil
Nachos
About half of a medium jicama,
peeled (about ¾ - 1 lb)
*can substitute spices with about 3/4 tsp taco seasoning instead
To make the salsa: combine
all ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix. Set aside.
To make the sauce: Place all
ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
To make the crumble: Place
walnuts and sunflower seeds in a food processor and process until chunky and
broken down. Add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture resembles coarse,
sticky crumbs. Set aside.
Place the jicama in your
spiralizer and use the widest blade setting to slice it into very thin pieces. (Note: If you don't have a spiralizer, you could use a mandolin or a knife to slice it into shavings as thin as possible).
To assemble: Arrange a layer
of the jicama slices evenly on a large plate. Top with about half of the nut
crumble, half the salsa, and half the sauce. Add another layer of jicama slices and top
with the remaining toppings. Serve immediately.
Serves 1 hungry person or 2-3
smaller servings.
Note: You can eat these with your hands like I did, but it does get a bit messy so feel free to use utensils!
This was submitted to Wellness Weekend at Diet, Dessert & Dogs.
