Queso and chips are the ultimate snack. After all, who doesn’t love cheesy delicious goodness delivered to your taste buds on a crisp, flavorful chip? We’re definitely huge fans.

All the cheese in queso can make it not so great for those who are trying to make healthier choices, are vegan or are allergic to dairy products. The good news is there are plenty of ways to make vegan queso, which is healthier and free of animal products. And we’ve got some great tips on how to make vegan queso even better.

Finding the Right Base

Vegan queso is a healthier twist on a classic Sunday night football dip, and you can easily make it at home instead of buying a jar of super processed cheese from the store.

To start, you’re going to want to find the right vegan queso recipe for you. Most of them call for cashews, which can cause some issues if you have a nut allergy or just aren’t a big fan of the nut. Luckily, there are some vegan queso recipes out there that don’t use cashews or other nuts.

One of our favorite recipes comes from the Minimalist Baker and uses broiled eggplant to make a creamy, spicy vegan queso. It’s super easy to make and all you need is eggplant, some spices, almond milk and salsa. Best of all, you and your friends won’t even be able to tell it’s vegan, and it will quickly become one of your favorite snack dips.  

Changing the Queso Game

Once you’ve got your vegan queso base figured out, it’s time to up the ante with some extra toppings and spices. Add some corn, paprika, cilantro (unless you are cursed with the gene that makes it taste like soap) and some smoked vegan cheese. This will take your vegan queso to the next level and give it a nice smoky flavor. You can get even more smoky goodness if you use smoked paprika instead of regular. 

Now that you’ve got your upgraded queso in hand, you need a way to eat it. Before you go reaching for that bag of tortilla chips, we suggest giving Beanfields bean chips a try. Our Jalapeño Nacho chips are a great choice to add some more spice to your queso. Or you can try our Cheddar Sour Cream chips (which are still vegan) to bring some more cheesy goodness to your snack. 

Why Bean Chips?

You might be giving us the side-eye at our mention of bean chips. You’re probably thinking your favorite tortilla chips are the best choice for your vegan queso eating adventure, but most tortilla chips are lacking in extra flavor and nutrients. 

Bean chips, on the other hand, come with nutrients such as fiber, protein and potassium. These aren’t something you’ll find in your corn chips. Tortilla chips are usually just salted without any flavor, and you can eat a whole bag and still feel hungry after. Beanfields chips come in a wide range of flavors, so you’ll be able to satisfy all your flavor cravings while making sure your hunger cravings are also sated. 

When you’ve made the best vegan queso, it only makes sense to pair it with the best chips. Throw out the tortilla chips and pick up a bag of Beanfields instead.

Power bowls are designed to be healthy. They’re chock full of nutrients and protein. However, it can be difficult to find meatless protein power bowl recipes. Most recipes want you to include meat or fish for the protein ingredient, which can make it hard for those who are vegetarian or simply trying to cut back on their animal products. 

Meat and fish can be a good source of protein, but there are also plenty of plant-based alternatives out there. One of the best ways to get your protein without eating meat is through beans. But we all know when you eat beans straight from a can or rehydrated from a bag, they can be lacking flavor. With Beanfields, that’s no longer an issue. Our non-GMO bean chips are a flavorful snack that gives you all the health benefits of beans without missing out on the flavor of traditional chips.

Meatless Power Bowl Ideas

Meatless power bowls are a perfect lunch or dinner for Meatless Mondays, but where do you begin when putting one together? One of our favorite meatless super bowl recipes includes some cooked veggies, an egg and, of course, Beanfields chips. 

You can always pick your favorite veggies when creating a meatless power bowl, but we have some suggestions. For a power bowl that packs in a lot of flavor and nutrients, begin with a nice bed of baby kale. If you’re not a big kale fan (and we wouldn’t blame you if you aren’t), baby spinach is a great substitution. Popeye wasn’t eating all that spinach just for the fun of it.

On top of the kale or spinach, layer some roasted carrots and bell peppers (for both flavor and a good pop of color), steamed broccoli and a crispy fried egg. Leave the egg over medium to get a nice oozy yolk over your bowl. For an extra crunch and burst of flavor, add a handful of Beanfields Pico De Gallo chips. A squeeze of fresh lime as the final touch will give this bowl some citrusy zest.

Some other awesome meatless power bowl ingredients are quinoa, avocado, sweet potatoes, corn, and tomatoes. Mix and match ingredients until you’ve created the perfect power bowl for you. Just don’t forget the Beanfields chips!

Pro tip: Prep your ingredients ahead of time so all you have to do is reheat them. This will make mealtime easier and leave more time for enjoying your evening and your food. 

Adding Beanfields Chips

Add Beanfields chips to all your favorite meatless power bowl recipes. As we mentioned earlier, beans are a great source of protein, fiber and potassium. Including them in your power bowls gives you get a good dose of protein while adding a delightfully crisp crunch. 

Chicken and waffles have always been a popular comfort food, and it’s easy to understand why. Chewy, sweet waffles paired with crispy, savory fried chicken create a delightful contrast in every bite. It takes care of your sweet and salty cravings all in one meal.

But while chicken and waffles might be delicious, they aren’t exactly healthy or vegan-friendly. So, what should you do to make this meal healthy while still being able to enjoy it? Replace the greasy chicken with tastebud pleasing crusted cauliflower.

Making Crusted Cauliflower

Being healthy doesn’t have to be boring. Though it might resemble albino broccoli and look pretty bland, cauliflower can be a flavorful and fun snack. Especially when you add a tasty, crispy bean chip coating to it. 

There are plenty of crusted cauliflower recipes out there, and some of them can get pretty complicated. Lucky for you, we know a simple recipe for crusted cauliflower that will leave you wondering why you ever bothered with chicken in the first place. 

You only need three ingredients: flour, a bag of Beanfields chips, and cauliflower. (We told you it was simple.) If you’ve ever made fried anything, you know what comes next. 

With one hand, take your cauliflower and cover it in flour. Then, use your other hand (got to keep things clean) to dredge the cauliflower in flax egg. Return the cauliflower to your dry ingredients hand and coat it with Beanfields chips. 

Once your cauliflower is nice and fully covered, it’s time to fry until crisp. Use an air fryer to keep things healthy.

Using Beanfields Chips

Most crusted cauliflower recipes will tell you to use breadcrumbs in your coating. Why didn’t we? Because Beanfields chips offer more benefits and taste way better than a breadcrumb coating.

Beanfields chips are made from, you guessed it, beans. This means our chips help satisfy your taste and hunger cravings. While a breadcrumb coating is full of carbs and lacking in nutrients, a Beanfields coating gives you tons of fiber, protein and potassium. 

Plus, there’s only so much you can add to a breadcrumb coating to up its flavor game. Made with artisanal seasoning, Beanfields lets you get a little more creative with your flavors. For example, if you want your crusted cauliflower to be on the spicy side, all you need to do is coat it in our Jalapeño Nacho chips for an added kick. Or maybe you’re looking for something a little cheesy, in which case our Cheddar Sour Cream (still vegan) chips would do the job. 

Crusted Cauliflower and Waffles

Cauliflower is a guilt-free, vegan, healthy and delicious alternative to the fried chicken part of chicken and waffles. Even if you aren’t vegan, it’s a great way to cut back on your meat consumption (Meatless Monday, anyone?) and pick up a healthy snacking habit. 

Once you’ve made your crusted cauliflower with Beanfields chips, plate it with your favorite waffles and maple syrup for a southern comfort food that’s easy on the waistline and your conscience.