By Ren Patel, VRG Intern

This delicious recipe is made from two components: a homemade salsa and a basic bean fry. The salsa was made with ingredients from Leominster High School’s local community garden. For those interested in promoting vegetarianism, community gardening is a great way to do so. It gets people to feel more connected to their food, which in the case of a garden is usually vegetables. This salsa consists of long thin, jalapeños and Hungarian hot wax peppers. These peppers are relatively sweet with a nice kick to them.

For those who have never made salsa before, it’s incredibly easy! Here is the general breakdown:

You will need spicy peppers, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and seasonings. I used a mix of canned and fresh tomatoes for my recipe. However, you can do it either way! Canned tomatoes make it easier to get a liquid texture, while fresh ones will usually give you a chunkier texture. Once your blend or food process the onions together with the peppers, you can add in some tomatoes and seasonings. My salsa included salt, pepper, and a bit of cumin. I mixed everything together in a bowl along with some freshly chopped cilantro. If you prefer to follow a good recipe, I recommend this one by Kristine’s Kitchen.

     As for the nachos, I prepared these with pinto beans, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, and tomato. You can use either black beans or kidney beans based on what you prefer. I placed all the vegetables together and added some garlic, mushroom umami, black pepper, and cumin. To give it a saucier texture, I added some Chipotle Flavored Bitchin’ Sauce (an amazing vegan sauce that is made from an almond base)! Then I melted shredded Trader Joe’s vegan cheese into the beans, but you can top the dish with the cheese for the classic nacho look. Finally, I assembled my nachos by placing the beans on a bed of chips and topping them with homemade salsa!

Have fun experimenting with this recipe. It’s super fun to make with and for others. Sharing these nachos with my fellow gardeners was a great way for us to bond over the food we had grown. Since they were completely vegan, all of us were able to enjoy them! Consider making vegan party foods the next time you are with friends. It ensures everyone can enjoy the food and feel included. With that said, always inquire about allergies and health concerns since not everyone can eat nuts, gluten, or other foods. If you use gluten-free chips, this recipe is completely gluten-free. If you want to make it nut-free, try substituting the Bitchin’ Sauce for another vegan chipotle sauce.