Haystacks

Hello friends! Today, I made a delicious vegan salad, it is called Hay Stacks. It's full of goodness, very satisfying and of course, healthy! If you love Mexican food, you will love this salad!

My family is a salad lover! What you see in those picture, gives you 6-8 plates, depending on your appetite. I pack lunches for my hubby and children, thus the reason I make more than just 4 servings. When I don’t have time to cook, or when I have unexpected people coming over, this salad comes to the rescue! Each guest has the pleasure of creating his/her own plate, according to taste. Win-win for everyone!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 -15 oz can, black beans ( I buy organic from Costco, those seems to have more beans)
• 5 cups tortilla chips ( I buy organic from Costco)
• 1 package -8oz Daiya Cheddar Style vegan cheese shreds (I buy it from Kroger)
• 2 ripe avocados for guacamole
• 1 lemon
• 1-2 garlic cloves or garlic powder to taste
• Optional -1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 head of lettuce - chopped
• 1 sweet onion - chopped
• 2-3 cucumbers - chopped
• 5 tomatoes - chopped

Optional- vegan sour cream store bought, or if you have time to make your own here is the recipe :

• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Salt to taste, about 1/4 tsp

Boil the cashews in plain water for 2 minutes. Allow it to cool. This process softens the cashews, making them creamier. Drain and wash the cashews. Put them in a high speed blender. Add lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Do not add all water at once, just little by little as you continue blending.

Preparing the guacamole:

Peel the avocados. Mash the flesh very well with a fork. Chop the garlic clove very fine. Add salt and lemon juice in increments to prevent adding too much of it. If I have chopped cilantro I usually keep it separate, because not everyone likes it. But you feel free to add it to your guacamole if don’t have those worries.

Preparing the beans:

Open the cans and in a pan, pour the entire content, water and beans together. Bring it to a boil for just a couple minutes. Ready to serve!

Now the fun part:

Start by taking a hand full of chips and crushing them on your plate. Add the chopped lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion. Then the beans spread on top. Add the cheese. Top the stack with sour cream and guacamole. Mix everything, but only if you wish!

And viola, you’re done!

Bon Appétit!

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