It's no secret that I'm not a vegan. It took me a while to explore cashew-based sauces because I viewed cashew-based dairy substitutes as inferior and unnecessary for me. Well. I learned my lesson. Turns out they can be delicious even if you aren't looking for a dairy substitute!

Another thing that makes this recipe amazing, is that it uses a bottle of fire roasted peppers, so you can have your own sauce whipped up minutes after you soak your cashews for a bit!

Vegan Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients

You'll only need a few things! I liked my sauce with a little kick, but you can omit that if you'd rather have a mild version.

• Roasted red peppers
• Soaked cashews (see section below for a soaking shortcut)
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Chili paste, chili flakes, or cayenne (optional)
• Nutritional yeast
• Salt & Pepper

How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (with cashews)

1. Soak cashews overnight covered in cool water or pour boiling water over them and let them soak for 20-30 minutes.
2. Drain soaking water off of cashews and put soaked cashews in the pitcher of your blender. Add ½ cup of fresh water and the rest of the ingredients to the pitcher.
3. Blend thoroughly, for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth.
4. Transfer to a lidded container and store, chilled, for up to a week.

Making Red Bell Pepper Sauce in a food processor

Blend it for a few minutes to make sure it's as smooth as you can get it. 

If you have a high powered blender like a Blendtec, Vita-Mix, or a Ninja, I recommend using that.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe Variations

• Peppers - If you are roasting your peppers, you could using yellow or green. I love the red color and the convience of jarred roasted red peppers.
• Nutritional yeast - if you aren’t vegan, you could use Parmesan cheese for a similar flavor.
• Spice - Just omit the chili seasoning for a mild sauce.

More Ways to Use

I intentionally didn't create a recipe around this red pepper sauce recipe because you can use it for so many things!

Here are a few ideas for you:

• Use it as a dairy-free pasta sauce - If you're avoiding dairy or are a vegan, make some vegan roasted red pepper pasta! Toss it with some freshly cooked pasta and add some fresh basil and your favorite protein source. If you're not a vegan, some cooked Italian sausage would be delicious in this. Or more veggies. You can even use it in place of marinara when making lasagna.
• Use it as a dip - Add a bowl of this to a vegetable tray for dipping! I especially love dipping sliced cucumbers and gluten-free crackers.
• Use it as a grain bowl sauce - One of my favorite things to do for lunch is make a bowl of leftover tidbits from the fridge. I use cooked grains (rice or quinoa) or salad greens as a base and add leftover protein from a previous dinner, a fried eggs, or some tuna salad, and chopped veggies and some fun things to sprinkle (goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, cheese-based crackers, plaintain chips, etc). Adding a dollop of this sauce makes it even more tasty! In the photo below I added it to a bowl with quinoa, garlic-roasted chickpeas, and roasted broccoli/cauliflower with some chili crunch for extra heat. 
• Add it to a skillet meal. This sauce would be REALLY good with my Chicken Sausage Dinner!

More Easy Condiment Recipes

I love having a prepped condiment on hand for easy meals, and I usually include one or two when I do meal prep. Here are a few more of my favorites...

Chipotle Vegan Queso also has a cashew base and is easy to toss together in a blender! Love this for tex-mex bowls and paleo nachos especially!

Pickled Red Onions have become a staple for us since my kids decided they loved them. I love this version especially with garlic & jalapenos for an extra kick.

Along those same lines is Homemade Sauerkraut! It's easier than you think and a great source of probiotics.

Paleo Ranch Dressing is always good to have on hand! I extra love this Roasted Jalapeno Ranch.

Homemade Basil Pesto is delicious and nice to have on hand as a flavor booster, too! I have Cilantro Pesto and Dill Pesto recipes, too. 

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Vegan) FAQs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Vegan Red Pepper Sauce (with Cashews)

Yield: Makes 2 ¼ cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Soaking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This smooth, delicious vegan roasted red pepper sauce is great as a pasta sauce, a veggie dip, or added to your favorite grain bowl! Make it as spicy as you (or not) like in minutes with only a handful of ingredients and your blender!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 1 ½ cups chopped roasted red bell peppers
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Juice from 1 small lemon
• 1-2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste or a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak cashews overnight covered in cool water or pour boiling water over them and let them soak for 20-30 minutes.
2. Drain soaking water off of cashews and put soaked cashews in the pitcher of your blender. Add ½ cup of fresh water and the rest of the ingredients to the pitcher.
3. Blend thoroughly, for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth.
4. Transfer to a lidded container and store, chilled, for up to a week.

Notes

1. The Calabrian chili paste is optional. I like to use it when adding a little heat to Italian-inspired recipes. You don't have to put anything spicy in this sauce at all if you don't want to.
2. The nutritional yeast is also optional, but I love the "cheezy" umami flavor it adds.
3. If you'd rather roast your own red bell peppers, put two peppers under a broiler for several minutes, turning occaisionally until most of the peppers have black blisters on them. You can also put them directly on the grate above a gas stove and use a pair of tongs to turn them. Remove most of the peels and blackened parts, as well as the stem and seeds. You'll need about 1 ½ peppers for this recipe, but it would probably be fine if you threw both in there to avoid food waste.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Homemade chicken nuggets are one of those things we never get tired of. 

I try to make extra so I can have some leftovers to heat up for lunch, but the little buggers almost always eat everything.

Luckily homemade gluten free chicken nuggets are super easy to make, so I'll just keep making bigger batches until I have a respectable amount left for a meal later in the week.

This particular gluten free chicken nuggets recipe has my Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning in the marinade AND the breading to give it have a boost of Tex-Mex flavor. (You can use any taco seasoning you like. I'm just partial to that one at the moment.)

And it goes beautifully with my Chipotle Vegan Queso recipe.

Let's make some!

These healthy gluten free chicken nuggets start off with a simple marinade. You can marinate the chicken pieces at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes or you can prep it several hours ahead or the night before. 

Did I mention these are egg free chicken nuggets? No eggs needed, so if you avoid them, you're in luck.

Simple Chicken Marinade Ingredients

• Lime juice
• Salt
• Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning (or any taco/mex inspired seasoning blend)

Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets Breading Ingredients

• Cassava Flour
• Tapioca Flour (or Arrowroot Flour)
• Nutritional Yeast
• Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning
• Salt

The breading is easy, too! 

I love the addition of nutritional yeast to give it a boost of flavor. And the mixture of cassava & tapioca (or arrowroot) flours is the perfect grain-free breading ratio. 

Using all cassava flour makes the coating a little chalky.

Using all tapioca flour makes it gummy when the chicken cools off.

Using a little of each gives you a light, crispy coating that keeps its texture.

I buy my cassava flour and nutritional yeast on Amazon. I really like the brand Anthony's.

Can I make them plain instead?

I added a tex-mex spin on these gluten free nuggets, but if you'd rather make them plain that's fine, too!

Omit the taco seasoning. Maybe use some all-purpose seasoning or an herb-garlic seasoning instead.

You can omit the nutritional yeast, too, but keeping it in would give it a nice flavor. 

How to make the best gluten free chicken nuggets

I use the shake & bake method by combining the breading ingredients into a gallon-sized bag.

I used to think this method would make a big mess and the breading would be clumpy.

It surprises me every time how well it works!

Tips for Pan-Frying Breaded Chicken

• Cover the pan with ¼" of oil and let it get really hot before you add the chicken. Not smoking, but pretty close.
• Shake off the excess flour before putting the chicken pieces in the pan. If you have too much "sediment" in the pan it'll end up burning after the 2nd or 3rd batch.
• Don't overcrowd the pan.
• Once you put the chicken in the pan, DON'T TOUCH IT FOR AT LEAST 3-4 MINUTES. Especially if you aren't using a non-stick pan. It'll stick and then you'll be sad.
• Once the chicken has formed a crust on the bottom it should be easy to flip them over. 
• Don't over cook them! They should be firm to the touch, with the slightest amount of give. And the crust should be golden brown.
• Transfer them to a wire rack on top of a sheet pan instead of a plate with papertowels. This will allow them to cool without getting soggy on the bottom. I like to keep the pan in a warm oven while I cook the rest of the chicken.

Can I bake these nuggets in the oven?

Yes, but make sure you line your baking sheet with parchment so they don't stick. You'll also want to spray them with some kind of oil-based spray to help them get a nice, browned coating. 

I'd bake them at about 400 degrees for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.

Can I put them in an air fryer?

Sure! These nuggets can be made in an air fryer, but make sure you grease that tray really well. 

Try cooking them at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Don't these gluten free chicken bites look delicious??

Steve and I loved them with my Chipotle Vegan Queso. Make sure to soak your cashews the morning before you make these. Or pour boiling water over them and let them sit for 20 min if you forget to soak.

You could also serve them with another kind of dip -- like Roasted Jalapeño Ranch, enchilada sauce, guacamole or a drizzle of Hot Honey Cilantro Glaze.

More Ideas for Serving gluten-free chicken nuggets

Popcorn chicken is usually an appetizer, but we eat it as a main dish! Here are a few ideas of how you can make this into a meal:

• CRISPY CHICKEN SALAD -- Add them to a bed of lettuce or some Southwest Cabbage Slaw and drizzle them with some paleo ranch and a side of avocado. And your favorite taco salad fixings.
• CRISPY CHICKEN TACOS -- Since this chicken has Tex-Mex/Latin flavors, it would be totally delicious in a taco. You can even chop them up to make them easier to put into tacos. A drizzle of my Citrus Crema would be delicious with this!
• CRISPY CHICKEN SNACK PLATTER -- Serve this alongside some fresh veg crudites or sweet potato fries with a couple of dips and you won't even need utensils! My kids love meals like that. 

If you like this recipe, try my delicious Paleo Fish Nuggets! My kids are just as wild about those as they are about paleo chicken nuggets.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Paleo Fiesta Popcorn Chicken with Vegan Queso

Yield: Serves 6

This tasty paleo friendly popcorn chicken has a tex-mex twist! They're a perfect pairing with my Chipotle Vegan Queso dip!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 ½ - 2 pounds of chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 - 1/12 inch pieces
• 2 juicy limes
• 5 teaspoons taco seasoning, divided
• ½ teaspoon + pinch of sea salt
• ⅓ cup cassava flour
• ⅓ cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour)
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
• Coconut oil or avocado oil, for pan-frying
• 1 batch Chipotle Vegan Queso

Instructions

1. Be sure to soak the cashews for the queso dip either the morning before you eat or an hour or two before by pouring boiling water over them. (See queso recipe for details.)
2. Put the chicken pieces in a shallow dish. Squirt the juice from one of the limes over the chicken. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of taco seasoning and ½ teaspoon of salt on top and mix everything around until the chicken is evenly coated. Let it sit for 30-45 minutes at room temperature to marinate or up to 24 hours chilled.
3. While the chicken is marinating, make the Chipotle Vegan Queso dip and set it aside while you make the chicken.
4. When you're ready to cook the chicken, put the cassava flour, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, a pinch of salt and the remaining 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning into a large gallon-sized zip-top bag. Shake it around to mix it well.
5. Add the chicken pieces to the bag and shake it around really well to coat all of the chicken in the breading. Let it rest inside the bag while you get the oil ready.
6. Put enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom in about ¼" of oil. Bring it to high heat. The oil should "shimmer" on the bottom and a drop of water should sizzle loudly.
7. Fry the chicken in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your pan. When you put a batch of chicken in the pan, don't touch it for at least 3-4 minutes to allow it to form a crust. Otherwise it's going to stick.
8. Flip the chicken pieces over and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side until the chicken is cooked through and mostly firm when you poke it with a pair of tongs.
9. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack sitting on a rimmed sheet pan to cool. (I put it in a warm oven to keep the chicken warm.)
10. Cook the remaining batches of chicken, cut the remaining lime into wedges, and serve with the queso dip and lime slices. A shake or two of hot sauce is good on these, too!

Notes

Nat's Note:

I highly recommend using my Smoky Chipotle Taco Seasoning for this! My Chorizo Seasoning would be great as well. And if you're a purist, try my Homemade Taco Seasoning!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Fiesta Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets (Paleo) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Im Obsessed with this Dill Salmon Recipe

The star of the show is this creamy dill topping! The mayo adds richness and moisture and the fresh garlic, lemon, & herbs add an insane amount of flavor.

It’s easy to throw together and all of the ingredients are easy to find. I used nutritional yeast to make this dairy free, but if you’d rather use Parmesan cheese, go right ahead.

Fish can be intimidating. I get it. It gets funky really fast and sometimes the fishy smell can be off-putting. Want to know a secret? Good quality fresh fish shouldn’t have a strong “fishy” smell.

The nice thing about fish is that it’s actually really easy to prepare and it cooks really quickly getting dinner on the table fast! I’ll give you some tips on making one of my favorite salmon recipes that may win over someone who is lukewarm about fish.

Ingredients for Salmon with Dill Sauce

• Salmon fillets
• Himalayan salt
• Paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• Garlic
• Fresh chives
• Fresh dill
• Nutritional yeast (or freshly grated Parmesan)
• Lemon juice

How to Make Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Lay the salmon fillets on a parchment covered sheet pan and sprinkle with salt.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients - mayonnaise, garlic, dill, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice.
4. Spread a tablespoon or two of the sauce over each salmon fillet until you have used all the sauce.
5. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes or until just barely cooked through. It should flake off fairly easily with a fork, but not be too stiff or rubbery.
6. Set aside to cool, then serve.

Salmon Dill Recipe Tips

I think a big key in making flavorful fish (no matter what kind) is to season it well. Under-seasoned fish is a really sad thing. So, if you have thick fillets, give them a generous sprinkle of salt and you won't be sorry.

Ok, let's talk about this topping and how fresh dill is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated herbs out there.

I made a creamy mixture of fresh mayo, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and fresh garlic. I also added a big spoonful of nutritional yeast, but you could totally use grated Parmesan if you're cool with cheese.

Speaking of mayo -- making homemade mayo is super easy. I actually use my food processor every time now, but if you have an immersion blender and mason jar you could do it that way, too. I wrote a post on it forever ago -- How to Make Mayonnaise. I also have instructions in both of my cookbooks for the food processor method!

What to Serve with this Dill Salmon Recipe

I paired this with some leftover jasmine rice and roasted broccoli (which went into the oven after the salmon because I like to roast it hotter), but you can pair it with a salad, too.

Actually Homemade Caesar Salad is fabulous with salmon. It's one of our most favorite summertime meals! (I even wrote about our Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad shenanigans over on The Pioneer Woman: Food & Friends.

And if you're doing Whole30, this is totally compliant! Just whip up a batch of Whole30 Caesar Dressing for a salad to go with it.

Here are a few other quick side dishes that would go well with this roasted salmon:

Simple Marinated Cucumbers

Magic Sauteed Green Beans

Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette

Dill Roasted Cabbage (Use up the rest of your dill, too!)

Dill Salmon Recipe (Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce)

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

I think dill is one of the most underrated herbs out there. It really shines in this roasted salmon recipe with a creamy garlic sauce baked on top!

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Ingredients

• 6 salmon fillets, about 4-5 ounces each
• pink Himalayan salt
• ⅓ cup paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• 1 clove grated or crushed garlic
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives (or 1 ½ teaspoons dried)
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried)
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (or freshly grated Parmesan)
• Juice from ½ of a lemon (1-2 Tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lay the salmon fillets on a parchment covered sheet pan and sprinkle with salt.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients -- mayonnaise, garlic, dill, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice.
4. Spread a tablespoon or two of the sauce over each salmon fillet until you have used all the sauce.
5. Bake the salmon for 12-15 minutes or until just barely cooked through. It should flake off fairly easily with a fork, but not be too stiff or rubbery.
6. Set aside to cool, then serve.

Storing leftover Salmon with Dill Sauce

The post Salmon Dill Recipe appeared first on Perry's Plate.

I feel like I created a unicorn here with this grilled eggplant recipe.

It's easy, quick (even quicker if you make the ricotta ahead of time), doesn't require an oven/stove (yay, summer grilling!), and is paleo, low-carb/keto, AND vegan. The fact that it's vegan was totally an accident. If you've spent more than 5 minutes on my site, you'll know that creating vegan recipes is not high on my priority list.

So, eggplant. Love? Hate? Have an issue with its funny texture? I feel like you have to really have to have the end goal in mind when cooking with eggplant for the first time. Picking up a foamy vegetable covered in dolphin-like skin isn't the most appetizing thing.

Eggplant does have a pretty deep purple color, which I love. Too bad it doesn't stick around after cooking. Luckily, that piece of foam turns soft and silky when it's finished.

And let's address what you're all thinking when you saw the title of this post, "What the heck is macadamia ricotta?" Well, exactly what it says -- a ricotta substitute made of whipped macadamia nuts.

There's a version in Michelle Tam's book, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans, but I prefer to soak the nuts before blending them and adding a couple more ingredients for extra flavor.

Does it taste like macadamia nuts? Kinda, yeah, but only if you're eating it by the spoonful. When it's nestled between a tender piece of grilled eggplant and a drizzle of marinara sauce, it's more ricotta-like.

My original intention with this recipe was to layer it in a baking dish and create a lasagna situation, but I'm taking the easy route more often than not these days. Grilling the eggplant and making individual stacks accomplished the same thing without dirtying up a baking dish and turning on the oven.

I was so happy with this recipe. Seriously. Steve liked it, too. I'm still on an eggplant campaign with the kids, and I haven't lost hope yet. I even warmed it up for lunch a few days later and LOVED it with a couple handfuls of spring greens and a drizzle of Trader Joe's balsamic glaze. (Have you had that? Seriously so good.)

I have other eggplant recipes on my site if you want to check them out!

Eggplant Curry with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce -- My favorite vegetarian curry ever! Like an Indian version of Eggplant Parm. (Can be gluten or grain-free, Low-Carb)

Pesto Eggplant Roll-Ups -- Rolled up sliced of tender eggplant filled with pesto and mozarella. (Gluten/Grain-Free, Low-Carb)

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan -- Similar to this recipe, but topped with a tomato bruschetta and fresh Parm. (Gluten/Grain-Free, Low-Carb)

Eggplant "Bacon" -- Perhaps the strangest recipe I have on my site, but it's actually a pretty great meatless "bacon". Or a smoky, crunchy salad topper!  (Vegan, Paleo, Low-Carb with a different sweetener)

Spicy Garlic Hasselback Eggplant with Tomato-Basil Relish -- This is a Japanese eggplant studded with fresh garlic and chili flakes, wrapped in a foil packet, and grilled to tender perfection. (Paleo, Whole30, Low-Carb, Vegan)

Middle Eastern Chicken & Eggplant Kebabs with Tahini Yogurt Sauce -- This is a post I did for Pioneer Woman's site. And the first time I fell in love with tahini! (Gluten & Grain Free, Low-Carb)

Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli -- A recipe from my first cookbook, The Big Book of Paleo Slow Cooking. Roasted eggplant mixture is folded into ground turkey with spicy peperoncinis. Seriously yum. (Paleo, Low-Carb)

Roasted Ratatouille Meatloaf & Marinara -- I loved the previous recipe so much I made an Italian version of that turkey meatloaf with roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini for my newest book, The Big Book of Paleo Pressure Cooking. (Paleo, Low-Carb) Also in the book is Middle Eastern Eggplant Hummus.

Easy Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Macadamia Ricotta

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Have you ever tried macadamia ricotta "cheese"? It's hearty, dairy-free alternative to ricotta filled with lots of healthy fats. These Grilled Eggplant Stacks remind me of lasagna, but much less fussy. It's also paleo, vegan, and low-carb/Keto friendly!

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Ingredients

For the macadamia ricotta:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup macadamia nuts (raw and unsalted, if possible)
• juice from ½ of a lemon
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the eggplant stacks:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch rounds
• 6 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 8 ounces basic marinara sauce
• 1 small bunch of fresh basil

Instructions

1. Soak the macadamia nuts in hot water for about an hour. Drain them and discard the soaking liquid.
2. Place the soaked nuts in a food processor or high-powered blender along with the other ricotta ingredients and ½ cup of fresh water.
3. Pulse, until the nuts are finely minced, then blend for 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides of the work bowl (or pitcher) as needed. The ricotta shouldn't be super grainy or crunchy from the nuts. Blend it until it looks somewhat fluffy and there aren't any chunks of nuts remaining. Put in a lidded container and set aside until ready to use.
4. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Spread the eggplant out on a baking sheet.
5. Stir together the avocado oil and Italian seasoning. Brush the seasoned oil over both sides of the eggplant.
6. Grill the eggplant slices, covered, for 10-15 minutes, flipping once or twice during cooking, until they are very tender. Turn down the heat if they brown too quickly -- it takes a while for them too cook all the way through.
7. Warm the marinara in a skillet or saucepan, if needed. Serve the eggplant slices (stacked or not) with a dollop of ricotta, a drizzle of marinara, and some fresh basil leaves.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. Feel free to make the macadamia ricotta a few days ahead of time and chill until ready to use. Once you get that done, it only takes about 20 minutes to make these! If you don't want to put cold ricotta on your eggplant, spread a little on each eggplant slice while they're still on the grill, during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.

2. You could also roast the eggplant in the oven if you don't have a grill. Just spread the oil on the slices as instructed and then roast them at 425 until golden brown and very tender, flipping halfway through cooking. It should take about 10-12 minutes.

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The post Easy Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Macadamia Ricotta appeared first on Perry's Plate.

You'll Love This Cashew Queso Recipe

I tested a lot of variations on cashew-based sauces and this one is the keeper. Roasted cashews, smoky chipotle, and nutritional yeast blend into a silky queso that makes chips, tacos, and even veggies taste like a party. Naturally gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and weeknight easy.

Quick to make, endlessly versatile, and ridiculously addictive, you’ll want to give this dip a permanent spot in your fridge’s condiment section.

Cashew Chipotle Sauce Ingredients

• Cashews - raw and unsalted
• Lemon juice
• Nutritional yeast
• Garlic
• Sea salt
• Chipotle chile powder or a chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Ground turmeric

How to Make Vegan Queso with Cashews

1. Put the cashews in a medium bowl and cover completely with steaming hot water. Let the cashews soak for at least an hour. Drain off the liquid.
2. Put the cashews in a blender or food processor along with ½ cup of fresh water and the ingredients listed above. Blend until smooth.

Chipotle Cheese Sauce Variations

Spice - Since chipotle is spicy, you might want to reduce the amount if you have a sensitive palate.

How to Make Paleo Nachos With Cashew Nacho Cheese

For these paleo nachos I used :

• My Crispy Sweet Potato Chips, grain-free tortilla chips, or plantain chips.
• Leftover shredded pork I pulled out of the freezer and heated up with some Chipotle Chorizo Seasoning
• Chipotle Vegan Queso (recipe below!)
• Favorite fixings -- guacamole, pico de gallo, chopped tomatoes, sliced radishes and cilantro.

Tips for making Cashew Nacho Cheese

Getting the cashews rehydrated is a key part of this recipe, make sure you soak them for at least 1 hour.

If you've never used dried chipotle powder, it's about as spicy as cayenne, so keep that in mind when using it.

I'm thinking we'll have these nachos on Sunday for Father's Day.

Nachos has become a Mother's Day tradition because it's something that's fast and easy and the kids can almost do by themselves. (And it doesn't stress Steve out.)

You can even make the vegan queso sauce ahead of time and heat it up in a skillet over low heat. Or pop in in the microwave for 20 second intervals and stir between each one.

If it starts to get clumpy or the texture is funny, just buzz it up again in the blender with a tablespoon of hot water to smooth it out.

How to Store Chipotle Cheese Sauce

Make the vegan queso sauce ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheating Chipotle Cheese Sauce

Heat it up in a skillet over low heat. Or pop in in the microwave for 20 second intervals and stir between each one.

If it starts to get clumpy or the texture is funny, just buzz it up again in the blender with a tablespoon of hot water to smooth it out.

Other ways to use this Chipotle Queso Dip

This vegan queso can be used anytime you want to replace a cheese sauce!
I like drizzling it over my Roasted Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole or Easy Blackened Fish Tacos.
Or as a dip for Fiesta Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders.

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Vegan Chipotle Queso (Gluten Free)

Yield: Makes about 1 ½ cups

Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This dairy-free and paleo-friendly "queso" is a snap and makes some seriously delicious paleo nachos or a tasty tex-mex veggie dip!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews (whole or pieces)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛-1/2 dried chipotle chile powder or a chipotle pepper from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

1. Put the cashews in a medium bowl and cover completely with steaming hot water. Let the cashews soak for at least an hour. Drain off the liquid.
2. Put the cashews in a blender or food processor along with ½ cup of fresh water and the ingredients listed above. Blend until smooth.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

If you've never used dried chipotle powder, it's about as spicy as cayenne, so keep that in mind when using it.

The post Vegan Chipotle Queso Dip with Paleo Nachos appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Do you get into lunchtime ruts, too? Actually I know you do because I get asked a lot what I eat for lunch, and most of the time my answers aren't super inspiring. But I've got an inspiring idea for you today, friends -- 5-Minute Cheesy Zucchetti Bowl and a review of a gorgeous cookbook.

I think lunchtime is hard because it interrupts the flow of the day. Or maybe just my day? Am I the only one who gets annoyed by lunch? I tell my husband all the time that I wished we, as humans, only needed to eat once, maybe twice a day.

Some people can get away with eating two large meals a day, but I've got a rather healthy appetite. Blessing/curse, yo.

And don't even get me started on lunches when all my kids happen to be home. #shortordercook

If I HAVE to eat lunch, I'm totally glad I have this book -- Nourishing Superfood Bowls by Lindsay Cotter. Have you been to Lindsay's blog, Cotter Crunch? Gorgeous, healthy stuff. I love Lindsay's fresh, approachable take on gluten-free recipes and her photos always dazzle me. And she really loves food puns. She's my people.

I'll talk about the zoodle bowl I made in a minute, but I want to tell you more about Lindsay's book.

Page after page of drool-worthy photos and colorful, creative bowls. Doesn't this Green Goddess Power Salad look amazing??

I see some fresh figs in there, too. Did I tell you I had fresh figs for the first time last year? (I know, where have I been?)

There's even a dessert chapter! This is the Creamy Chocolate Streusel Bowl. Yum.

All of Lindsay's recipes are gluten-free and most of them are dairy-free. I especially love how she includes options for all healthy eating options -- paleo/low-carb/vegetarian. There's something for everyone here!

I was super impressed by this quick little lunch bowl. It came from the Zippy Lunch Bowls chapter -- yes, a whole chapter for quick, creative lunches! The "cheese" sauce has a nutritional yeast base with a touch of tomato sauce and comes together super fast.

Grab a copy of Lindsay's book, Nourishing Superfood Bowls, and you might end up liking lunch again, too. 

5-Minute Cheezy Zucchetti Bowl

Yield: Serves 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Lunch doesn't need to be boring. Or time consuming. This 5-Minute Cheesy Zucchetti Bowl is a great way to eat zoodles and is paleo, low-carb, and vegan!

Print

Ingredients

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• 2 small zucchinis
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
• Sea salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
• Pinch of Italian seasoning
• Fresh basil or parsley
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon capers

Instructions

1. Spiralize or thinly julienne-cut the zucchini. Place in a bowl and press with a paper towel to remove the excess water. Drain any excess water from the bowl.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the nutritional yeast, almond milk, olive oil, and garlic. Cook in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until warm. Remove and whisk the mixture until well combined. Add the salt, pepper, and tomato sauce, and whisk again.
3. Toss the almond milk mixture with the zucchini noodles and add the sliced tomato. Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. Lindsay suggests adding chickpeas, chicken or gluten-free sausage to add some protein.

2. I don't have a microwave in my kitchen, so I made the sauce in a small skillet on the stove.

3. I prefer warm zucchini noodles, so I tossed the whole thing into the skillet and warmed it up for a few minutes. If your zucchini is room temperature when you start, you probably don't need to do this.

4. I used a few quartered grape tomatoes and omitted the capers.

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The post 5-Minute Cheezy Zucchetti Bowl appeared first on Perry's Plate.