The Game Day Vegan

Super Bowl XLIX was this past weekend (Go Patriots!) and my friend Vanessa was hosting a get-together at her home for her and her hubby's football loving friends. Believe it or not, that includes me! I was excited to be rooting on the Patriots from her couch, but as is the norm as of late, I was anxious about the game day eating situation. Along with my no sugar/extremely low carb diet, I have now taken up being vegan as well. That combo: low carb + vegan is a toughie. Especially in social situations and oh, anywhere outside of my house.  But you know I love a good food related challenge, so I decided to try to make something I could eat that everyone else at the party would enjoy as well. Enter the layered dip.

As I've mentioned before, what us Americans consider ethnic food lends itself very well to the vegetarian and even vegan diets. Recipes from cultures the world over feature many more vegetables and grains than do meals made in the typical American fashion. This has been my experience at least. It was pretty easy to take a Mexican-style appetizer and turn it into a hearty, vegan-satisfying dish. That being said, I can definitely give you tips and modifications to turn today's recipe into a meaty-cheesy delight to satisfy your omnivoric ways.  Check the recipe below for those mods.

What's in the standard layered dip? Refried beans, guac, salsa - all kosher on the vegan checklist. Where things get a little dicey is when you start throwing in things like seasoned ground beef, sour cream, and flavored or shredded cheeses. While you can actually have vegan versions of all of those things, which I'm sure would be delicious, I chose to go with some healthier options so that my dip would be tasty, satisfying, AND totally good for you. What a concept!

The great thing about this dish is that you're getting a few recipes in one. The guacamole would be great on it's own with some chips or to top tacos or chimichangas, and the bean and corn salads would make for tasty side dishes. And actually, as a bonus for this post, I'm throwing in a second recipe: a burrito bowl you can make with those salads you'll have extra of after making your dip. Today is your lucky day!

OK, let's get layering and making a dish you can enjoy whether you're watching a game or not!

Five Layer Vegan Dip
Servings: 1 smallish casserole dish
Cooking time: n/a
Prep time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 15oz can vegetarian refried beans
1 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (FCBP)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 avocados, meat only
1/2 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 15oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
6 teaspoons diced red onion
8 teaspoons diced roasted peppers
4 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
12 teaspoons oil from roasted pepper jar
1 15oz can yellow corn kernels, drained
6 teaspoons diced hearts of palm
1 mini can diced green chilis
1 mini can sliced black olives, diced
1/2 handful cilantro - leaves and stems
1 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 1/2 limes, juice only
1/2 jar/container of your favorite fresh salsa
Corn chips for serving
*Meat & dairy mods at the bottom of this recipe

Start by making the refried beans. Add the beans to a bowl and in one teaspoon of the chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon FCBP.

 Spoon the beans into the bottom of your casserole dish (you'll want to use one with semi-high sides), starting at one end and then smoothing out as you go. Make sure when you're done that the beans are distributed evenly covering the bottom of the dish.

Next, make the guacamole. Add the avocado meat, a half of a handful of cilantro, the juice of one lime, the garlic powder, four teaspoons of the roasted pepper oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon FCBP to a blender. Turn on the blender to puree the ingredients, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.

Blend until the mixture is smooth with few lumps.

Use a spatula to scoop out the guac and layer it on top of the refried beans in your casserole dish, again, starting at one end and spreading it down in an even layer to the other end of the dish. Make sure you're careful not to combine any of the beans with the guac.

Three layers to go!

Now make your bean salad. Add all of the beans to a bowl along with the diced red onion and roasted peppers.

In a separate, small bowl make your dressing. Add the vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to the bowl, and use a fork to whisk as you pour in 8 teaspoons of the oil from the roasted red peppers jar.

Drizzle the dressing over the bean salad, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and FRCP, and toss.

Use a large slotted spoon to layer the bean salad onto the guacamole in your casserole dish, starting at one end and spreading it over until you've covered the guacamole. Be careful not to stir up the guac into the beans.

 Two more!

The last thing you'll need to make is the corn salad. Add the drained corn kernels, diced hearts of palm, diced black olives, green chilis, and the chopped cilantro to a bowl. Sprinkle with the juice of half a lime, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon FCBP and toss.

Use a slotted spoon to add the corn salad to the top of the bean salad in your casserole dish, starting at one end and going until you've covered the beans with corn.

You're almost done!

Last, but not least, use a slotted spoon to spread the pre-made salsa over the dish to completely cover the corn.

Voila! You have a beautiful five layer vegan dip to devour guilt-free!

To serve, I used a spoon to dig in all the way to the bottom to make sure I was getting all five layers at once, plopped it on my plate, and used an all-corn chip to scoop it up and into my big mouth.

 Salute!

*To make this a meat & dairy eater friendly dish, these are my recommended modifications: Take a packet of taco seasoning and mix it into one package of light cream cheese (using a food processor is probably best to accomplish this). Spread that into the dish as your bottom layer.  Top that with the refried beans, then add some seasoned ground beef or turkey as a layer between the beans and the guac. Layer on the bean and corn salads next, spoon on the salsa, and sprinkle with some finely shredded Mexican cheeses. Now you have an impressive EIGHT layer dip! You win!

Bonus! Burrito Bowl
Servings: 1
Cooking time: however long your rice package indicates - mine was about 15 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes

Apparently I like doing burrito bowls as bonus recipes. (P.S. the salsa included in the recipe from that link would be a great one if you wanted to make the fresh salsa yourself.)

You will likely have some leftover concoctions after you finish constructing your layered dip. I know I did! I used them to create this delicious and healthy burrito bowl the following day for lunch... and dinner... and the following night for dinner again! It's that good.

The true bonus here for our vegetarians and vegans alike is that the combo of beans and rice in this recipe makes for a complete protein. Touchdown!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown rice, cooked
2 handfuls baby spinach, shredded
1/2 cup bean salad (from above recipe)
1/4 cup corn salad (from above recipe)
1/4 cup fresh salsa
1 lime wedge
4 teaspoons of this amazing avocado ranch dressing (I subbed Veganaise for the mayo and left out the sour cream)

*Note: As you will see in the pictures, I didn't flavor my rice because I like to make a lot at once, save it, and use it in various dishes throughout the week. However, I suggest seasoning your rice. Use chicken or veggie stock instead of water. Toss 1/4 teaspoon each of chili powder and cumin into the stock, and sprinkle in some chopped fresh cilantro once the rice is done cooking.

Combine the brown rice, spinach, bean salad, corn salad, and salsa in a large salad bowl.

Squeeze the lime juice over the salad.

Drizzle with the avocado ranch dressing and serve immediately.

(Toss to distribute the dressing over the veggies and rice.)

Salute! Again!