Appetizers

Dairy-Free Queso Dip is thick and creamy with a hint of spicy chilis and lots of smokey flavour. You can devour it as a straight up chip dip or pour it over your favourite nachos. And thanks to the cashews and nutritional yeast, you’d never say this ‘cheesy’ dip is vegan!

If you read my last post for air fryer tortilla chips, I promised there was a queso dip coming that would go perfectly with them. Well, this is it. Let me introduce you to the dip that has overtaken our house. Yes, even the cheese loving hubby is eating this vegan queso!

I’ve been making various versions of this queso recipe for months now, and every time I make it, I add another ingredient or do something a little different. But I’m finally ready to share it with you guys and it just happens to be in time for Cinco de Mayo!

What is vegan queso?

The primary ingredients in vegan queso tend to be cashews (for creaminess), nutritional yeast (for cheesiness) and spices (for some nacho flavour). Some recipes also add tomatoes, chilies, garlic, onions, cilantro and lemon or lime juice.

So I’m not reinventing the wheel here as there are plenty of dairy-free queso recipes out there. But since I’ve been cutting back on dairy, and I’m obsessed with cashews lately, I just had to create a recipe with my own little twist.

While the cashews and nutritional yeast are arguably the most important elements in many vegan queso recipes, my favourite ingredient to add is smoked paprika. It’s not a common addition to queso (or at least it isn’t in the quantities I’m using), but I love the smokey aroma, and the undeniable smokey taste that it adds to queso. The result is a less spicy queso, but this actually works perfectly with spicy chips, nachos or tacos.

What is smoked paprika?

To dive a little deeper, smoked paprika is made from pimento peppers (a type of chili pepper also called cherry peppers) that have been dried, smoked, and ground into fine powder. It is quite similar in colour to regular paprika, so visually you might not be able tell them apart. But don’t be fooled, they have distinctly different tastes. And using them interchangeably (as I used to do!) will not result in the intended flavour of your recipe.

Of all the spices in my pantry, smoked paprika is the one I use the most and stock up on almost every time I hit up the grocery store. It adds such a deep flavour to dips, soups and chilis, and is a great addition to dry rubs for meat or seafood.

How do you make dairy-free queso?

Start by soaking the cashews in hot water for half an hour. This softens up the cashews so your blender doesn’t have to work so hard to create that smooth and creamy texture.

Once soaked, drain the cashews and add them to your blender. A high-powered blender works best, but if you don’t have one, blend the ingredients in two batches, or use your food processor. The texture won’t get quite as creamy in the food processor (it might be a little nutty), but this won’t impact the queso too much.

Blend the cashews on high with some nut milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, smoked paprika and salt. Keep blending until the mixture is creamy. Add the fresh tomatoes and pulse until they are blended but some little pieces remain. Stir in the chilies and red pepper flakes. For a less chunky queso, you can blend in the chilis, but I like a thicker queso, so I stir them in.

The great thing about this queso is that you can serve it hot or cold. If serving cold, you can enjoy it right out of the blender, or store in the fridge until ready to use. To serve it warm, just heat it up on the stove top and pour into a serving bowl! Sometimes I heat it up and serve it right out of my skillet. (Just be careful as the skillet will be hot).

Some other tips for making cashew queso:

This queso is not overly spicy, so if you like things spicier, just add some more red pepper flakes, or sub in chili powder for some of the smoked paprika. You can even add some finely chopped jalapeños for extra kick!

If you want to make this queso entirely without processed ingredients, you can try making your own green chilis. Brooklyn Farm Girl has a recipe that I’m hoping to try soon.

What to serve with queso:

Use it as a vegan nacho cheese, and pour it over your favourite nachos or tacos. It works beautifully with these loaded vegetarian nachos!

Dip those chips in there! Air fryer or oven baked, these habanero lime tortilla chips would create the perfect flavour combo!

Add a generous scoop to your vegan chili and stir it around for added flavour and thickness.

Use it as a dip for potato wedges or french fries. I love pairing cashew dips with these air fryer roasted potatoes.

If you like vegan cashew recipes, here are a few others you might enjoy:

• Creamy Cashew Onion Herb Dip

• Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip

• Creamy Avocado Mac and Cheese

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Habanero Lime Air Fryer Tortilla Chips bring the heat, with a hint of sea salt and lime, and a lot of crunch! Serve these gluten-free chips with your favourite dip for a fun Cinco de Mayo party snack or appetizer!

Hello there! It’s almost May, and the Crumb Top Baking kitchen has been busy recipe testing some fun recipes for Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and grilling season. And today, I’m starting the fun with these Habanero Lime Tortilla Chips. They’re super simple to make, with an air fryer and oven option included in the recipe. And they’ve been thoroughly tested and approved by my number one savoury snack critic – the hubby!

How do you air fry tortilla chips?

Start with six corn tortillas. You can use flour tortillas, but I find corn results in a crunchier tortilla chip.

Coat both sides of the tortillas with an oil mixture. You can use just oil, or you can also season it. In this recipe, the oil mixture is seasoned with habanero pepper, lime juice and sea salt, which have all been blended together.

Once the tortillas are coated, cut them into triangles and arrange in a single layer on your air fryer tray. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to air fry the chips in two or more batches.

Air fry the tortillas on 350F for 7-9 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges. I use a Cuisinart air fryer/convection/toaster oven. Depending on the make and model of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the cook time or temperature slightly.

Keep an eye on the tortillas as they tend to burn quickly. If they still feel soft in the middle when you remove them after 9 minutes, return them to the air fryer for another minute. The chips will get crunchier as they cool, so resist the urge to over-fry them.

I don’t have an air fryer, can I bake these tortilla chips in the oven?

Absolutely! I’ve baked tortilla chips in the oven many times. These sea salt lime tortilla chips have been a go-to snack for us over the past few years.

The biggest difference between baking and air frying these habanero chips is the texture. They will be a bit heavier baked in the oven as they bake on the pan in the oil mixture. They are lighter in the air fryer as they ‘fry’ on a rack, so air circulates around them and some excess oil mixture is able to drip off.

To bake, just pre-heat your oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare the tortilla chips as you would for the air fryer. Arrange the chips in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the tortilla chips over. Return to the oven and bake for another 6-7 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges.

As with the air fryer, keep an eye on the chips to make sure they don’t burn. Once removed from the oven, they will continue to get crispy on the baking sheet. If they still have a soft or rubbery texture, return them to the oven to bake for another minute.

Are these tortilla chips gluten-free?

Since these tortilla chips are made with corn tortillas, they are naturally gluten-free. Just make sure the corn tortillas you use are labelled gluten-free, as cross-contamination with gluten can occur during processing and packaging.

How hot and spicy are these habanero lime tortilla chips? Can I make them milder? Can I make them hotter?

On the Scoville scale, which measures the strength of peppers (their heat and spice), habanero peppers are definitely on the hot side. I use jalapeño peppers all the time, and they are milder and spicier, whereas habaneros have a lot of heat.

For this recipe, I used half a habanero pepper (seeded), and the pepper was about 1.5 inches in length. If you have larger peppers, you might want to use just a quarter.

If you like your chips milder, you can use a smaller amount of pepper, or you use a milder pepper. While a jalapeño pepper will give these chips a different flavour, it will result in a milder flavour – it will be spicy with less heat.

If you like your chips with more heat, use more of the habanero pepper, or blend up the seeds in the oil mixture. The seeds contain a lot of the heat.

What can you serve with these air fryer tortilla chips?

The possibilities are endless with these chips! Obviously they have enough flavour to enjoy on their own, but they’re also perfect for nachos, dips, guacamole, queso and salsa. Keep an eye out for my next post as I’ll be sharing a dairy-free queso dip that goes perfectly with these chips.

In the meantime, here are a few recipes you can enjoy with these habanero chips:

• Loaded Vegetarian Nachos

• Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Dip

• Chicken Fajita Soup with White Beans

That’s it! These habanero lime tortilla chips are easy peasy to make in your air fryer or oven. If you give them a try, be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below!

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Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, and of course, your weekend snacking, we’re serving up some Loaded Vegetarian Nachos! They’re hearty, spicy and full of fibre and healthy fats!

Vegetarian Taco Meat

If you’re anything like my husband, you’re going to be a bit skeptical as I start to describe these nachos. That’s because they aren’t vegetarian in the sense that they’re loaded with lots of lentils, black beans or chick peas (although that would be super delicious too!).

No, these nachos are actually loaded with a walnut/mushroom mixture that resembles the taste and texture of ground beef.

Seriously, I was even skeptical as I set out to make these, but I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious and convincing walnuts and mushrooms can be as taco meat. And fyi, my husband was sold on it too!

While I would love to take credit for this genius and delicious idea, faux taco meat is not a new idea. If you search Google or Pinterest, you will find all sorts of recipes for vegetarian taco meat. In fact, the recipe I’m sharing today was actually inspired by Pinch of Yum’s recipe for Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat, which has cauliflower and walnuts as its base (obviously) and is absolutely delicious!

Unfortunately, when I got a craving for nachos last week, I didn’t have any cauliflower. And truth be told, after eating cauli pizza crust and cauli rice the week before, I had my fill of cauliflower.

I did, however, have a package of cremini mushrooms that were calling out to be used (which actually means they were a day away from being thrown out). So I chopped them up and threw them in the food processor with some walnuts, and after a few pulses, the mixture actually resembled ground beef.

Texture is one thing, but what about taste? Well, that’s where some trusty spices, lime juice, red onion and jalapeño pepper come into play. Just add these ingredients to your skillet with the walnut/mushroom mixture and cook it for a few minutes until the onions and peppers soften.

The result is a pretty convincing and tasty vegetarian taco meat that’s perfect for nachos. You can even add it to salads, wraps, or tacos. I’ve tried them all in the last week!

This mixture makes an awesome topping on a bed of greens with some guacamole and tomatoes. If you’re not into nachos, then you definitely need to try this mixture in a taco salad!

How to make Loaded Vegetarian Nachos

While these Loaded Vegetarian Nachos are pretty easy to make, I do have a few tips to help you out:

• Vegetarian taco meat. To avoid mushy taco meat, try not to cut your mushrooms too small or over-process the walnut/mushroom mixture.
• Choose your toppings. For these nachos, I used red and green pepper, roasted corn and tex mex cheese. But you can add anything you like! Green onions, tomatoes or black beans would also work really well.
• Tortilla chips. You can go a few different ways here. Store-bought is obviously the easiest, and although they aren’t typically clean eating, if you’re in a rush, just go for it. I do this sometimes, especially when I’m serving a crowd. But if I’m making these for myself and hubby, I usually make Sea Salt Lime Tortilla Chips, which are just corn tortillas baked with a little bit of evoo, lime juice, sea salt and pepper.
• Nachos two ways. The first time I made these, I layered the corn tortilla chips in the skillet and loaded on the taco meat, veggies and cheese (see pics above and below). I love my nachos this way, but if you’re using the homemade tortilla chips they can get a bit chewy under all the toppings. So the second time I made these, I baked the taco meat and toppings on their own and then used the chips to scoop out the mixture. Either way works great, it just depends on your preference, and whether you use store-bought or homemade corn tortilla chips.

No matter how you plan to make these Loaded Vegetarian Nachos, you should definitely serve them up with some homemade guacamole, salsa and/or pico de gallo, and of course, your favourite margarita! 😉

If you make these, I would love to hear about it in the comments below, or take a pic and tag @crumbtopbaking on Instagram. And if you’re looking for some other recipes featuring nachos, be sure to check out these Pork Carnita Breakfast Nachos! Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or Mother’s Day brunch!

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Happy Saturday! Weekend snacking calls for this Roasted Beet and White Bean Hummus! It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and a whole lot of creamy goodness!

This is a quick one today, but I’m stopping in with a purpose! Not only does your Saturday night snacking need this hummus, but I’m sharing this recipe as part of a virtual baby shower. Curious? Keep reading.

But first, this hummus…

You know me and hummus, right? The addiction is real. But it’s a healthy addiction. And one that I share with my husband. Yes, he eats hummus! I always make a batch on the weekend, so I know whatever happens during the week, we have some healthy snacks at the ready.

While pretzels and crackers are great with hummus, we usually pair it with a variety of veggies. My husband will lay claim to the carrots, but I enjoy my hummus with peppers, celery, baby tomatoes and cauliflower.

I usually make this red pepper arugula hummus or this cilantro jalapeño edamame version. Both are spicy and packed with leafy greens and legumes. And with all the fibre, you definitely get a filling snack.

A few weeks ago, I decided to mix things up a bit and make this Roasted Beet and White Bean Hummus. The recipe requires a bit more time as you roast your beets first. But once roasted, you just add them to your food processor along with your other ingredients, and whip up this pink creamy goodness in minutes! If you’re pressed for time, you can even use pre-packaged cooked beets.

This hummus is bright pink and has a slightly sweeter taste. It still has some kick from the Thai pepper, but it’s not too spicy. I also used white kidney beans instead of chick peas, and added some red kale, which adds some extra fibre.

If you love beets and you’re a fan of hummus, then you should definitely give this Roasted Beet and White Bean Hummus a try!

Before I actually share this recipe, you all know I don’t usually post on the weekends, but today is a special day.

I’m joining with a bunch of my fellow bloggers for a virtual baby shower in honour of Katherine at Love in My Oven. She’s expecting the arrival of her baby girl soon, and we are all sharing some pink themed recipes today as a way to celebrate!

Below you will find some more information on Katherine and links to the other recipes being shared today. I hope you get a chance to visit some of the sites and check out the delicious recipes by some very talented foodies!

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Meet our guest of honor: Katherine!

Katherine blogs over at Love In My Oven and is the proud momma to two boys and a soon-to-arrive baby girl!!

You don’t need to know Katherine to join in the fun, just enjoy all of the pink themed recipes the bloggers are bringing to the party! Scroll down to see what the bloggers are sharing, and click on the links to hop over to their blogs to check their recipe out.

7-UP RASPBERRY PINK PUNCH from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats

BEET GOAT CHEESE PHYLLO ROLLS from Looney For Food

YUM YUM SHRIMP WONTON CUPS from Give it Some Thyme

ROASTED BEET AND GOAT CHEESE PASTA from Robust Recipes

PRETTY IN PINK PARTY MIX from Tiny Kitchen Capers

ROASTED BEET AND WHITE BEAN HUMMUS from Crumb Top Baking

IT’S A GIRL BABY SHOWER CAKE from The Sugar Coated Cottage

MELTING MOMENTS COOKIES WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM from Sugar Salt Magic

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE CUPS from The Beach House Kitchen

ROSE RASPBERRY LYCHEE CUPCAKES from Sift & Simmer

VANILLA GLAZED BAKED DONUTS from Girl Heart Food

CHOCOLATE ROSE TRUFFLES from The Love of Cakes

PRETTY IN PINK PARFAITS from Six Snippets

STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFFS from The Itsy-Bitsy Kitchen

STRAWBERRY ROSE CAKE DONUTS from Ben’s Havoc in the Kitchen

NO CHURN STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM from Kitchen@Hoskins

STRAWBERRY SCONES from 31 Daily

RASPBERRY MOUSSE BROWNIE TRIFLE from Better With Biscuits

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE CUPCAKES from Nourish and Fete

VANILLA DONUTS WITH PINK GLAZE from Sweet Little Baker

STRAWBERRY SOUFFLÉS WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

NO CHURN STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE ICE CREAM from The Baking Chocolatess

Thanks for joining the party and I hope you enjoyed all of these fun recipes!

Hello Friday! The first weekend of 2018 is calling out for you to make this clean and green Cilantro Jalapeño Edamame Hummus!

Hey there! Happy New Year! How were your holidays? I can’t believe Christmas has come and gone for another year! While it was only a few days ago that I posted my Top 10 Recipes of 2017, it feels like such a long time ago. Perhaps it’s the return to work and getting back into a routine, but it’s been a busy week. Plus, I’ve been recipe testing like crazy in the kitchen!

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve decided to go clean and green during January. Wait, you say, don’t you already eat clean? Why, yes I do…..about 80% of the time! But around Christmas, it definitely dips below this. I enjoy balance and moderation, and my body definitely tells me when I’ve gone too far. And right now, my body is craving simple meals and lots of fruits and veggies!

I’m betting a few of you feel the same way…..

That’s why I’ve decided to make it my goal to include greens in each and every meal during the month of January. So far, this spicy salmon salad has been on the menu as well as a few other recipes I’ve been testing. But my biggest challenge is breakfast, since I’m addicted to peanut butter and chia jam toast! Over the past few days, these breakfast sandwiches with kale pesto and spinach have been a life saver!

So to help me along (and hopefully you too!), every recipe I post on Crumb Top Baking during January will incorporate green veggies and/or fruit! And I’m starting with this Cilantro Jalapeño Edamame Hummus. It’s loaded with edamame and cilantro, with a kick of jalapeño peppers. I know, this is all pretty obvious from the recipe title, but you get the point. It’s all green veggies, my friends! And it tastes pretty darn delicious too!

Hummus is a staple in our house, especially homemade, like this red pepper arugula hummus. This recipe is usually whipped up in my food processor every other Sunday for weekday lunches and snacks.

But now we have a new favourite hummus to add to the mix! This Cilantro Jalapeño Edamame Hummus is thick and creamy, with a hint of cilantro and lemon, the usual suspects of tahini, evoo and garlic, and a slight bit of heat from the jalapeño pepper. (It’s not a lot of heat, so don’t be afraid to add the pepper!)

We’ve been eating this hummus with carrots, pretzels and crackers, but it’s also going to be my friendly green condiment this month on toast, in wraps and with eggs! See, I’ll get my greens in! 😉

While this recipe has a summery, snacky feel to it, I promise there are some warm and cozy dishes in the mix, lots of fresh salads, and maybe even a breakfast or two!

In the meantime, you should start with this hummus. Your Friday night snack plans will thank you! 😉

If you’re interested in joining in this clean and green challenge, follow along here at Crumb Top Baking for the latest recipes, or on Instagram at @crumbtopbaking!

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