Vegan Chilli Cheese Fries

Vegan Chilli Cheese Fries

So, I’m sharing this delicious, healthy, guilt-free vegan chilli cheese fries recipe with you to help you make positive changes in your diet without sacrificing any taste! You will need a blender for this recipe – a food processor might work too though.

Serves: the chilli and cheese recipe both give large quantities and therefore can be stored in fridge/freezer until they are used up. In one sitting they would serve 6 people probably. Make the chips/fries as you need them.
Prep/cooking time: 1 hour approx (if you make the cheese sauce & chips while the chilli is simmering)

For the vegan chilli you will need:

• 2 onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 carrot grated
• 2 stalks of celery finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1/2 cauliflower finely diced
• 1 aubergine finely diced and skin removed if possible
• 2 cans of green or brown lentils (or equivalent weight in cooked from dry lentils)
• 1 can of kidney beans
• Apple cider vineger or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 can chopped tomates
• 1 cup of passata
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp freshly ground chill or chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp dried coriander
• 1 tsp onion powder

*I used the veggies that I had in the fridge, realistically you can use any veggies you want! Although onions, garlic, carrots, celery and pepper are the most important.
**Spice quantities are estimates – always taste near the end of cooking time in case you need to add extra spices.

For the vegan cheese sauce you will need:

• 3 small-ish potatoes
• 1 large carrot
• 1 red onion (any onion is fine)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp tapioca flour (optional)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (might need more to taste)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2/3 cup nutritional yeast (and possibly more to taste)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp onion powder
• the juice of 1 lemon
• For the chips/fries you will need:
• 1-2 large potatoes per person (depending on your appetite)

*Try to choose more floury, winter potatoes, as opposed to waxy new potatoes.

DIRECTIONS:

• If your not using canned beans/lentils you’ll need to soak and cook up your beans and lentils.
• For the chilli: finely dice all your veggies.
• Put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add a tbsp or so of apply cider vinegar or white wine vinegar to moisten the the saucepan.
• Add the onions and toss until they start to go translucent.
• Add in more vinegar or water every time the pan dries up (just a splash because you don’t want to boil the veggies).
• Add in the garlic and toss with the onions until it softens nicely.
• Add the rest of the veggies and toss until the start to cook through.
• Make sure the pot isn’t too dry and put a lid on it. This should help cook through the veggies.
• Add in all your beans, lentils, spices and sauces to the mix, give it a stir and put the lid on, and let it simmer on a low heat while you make your cheese sauce and your chips/fries.

For the cheese sauce:

• Roughly chop the veggies and boil until soft (including the onion & garlic) – add a bay leaf too.
• When the veggies are soft, add to a blender with some of the boiling water – just enough to help the blending.
• Put the tapioca flower in a small glass, add a little water, and stir it with a spoon until dissolved.
• Add this to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients (not the bay leaf).
• Add the sauce back to the saucepan and keep on a low heat.
• It should thicken slightly and go nice and gloopy (due to the tapioca flour).

For the chips:

• Chop your potatoes into chips or wedges.
• Place on a non-stick mat, on a baking tray, and bake in an oven at 200 degrees Celsius.
• You can add spices/herbs if you like but I didn’t for this recipe.
• When your chips start to go golden brown they should be ready.
• Add them to a bowl or plate and top with the chilli and then lather over the cheese sauce.
• Add some chopped coriander or parsley on top.

I hope this recipe brings some fun to your dinner-time, and that it tastes delicious! Again, all spice measurements are open to interpretation – if you like it spicier add more chilli; if you like it smokier, add smoked paprika; if you like it saltier, add more soy sauce; if you like it sweeter, you can add agave or brown sugar.