i don’t follow recipes, i create them: Cactus & Kale Quinoa Haystack w/ Spicy Beans & Hummus #vegan

Napole Kale Quinoa Haystack with Spicy Beans & Hummus

oddly enough, my first Cooking Recipe and Food Blog post coincides with my turning vegan exactly two months ago.

and you know what? i feel fucking amazing.

i won’t go in to the reasons behind my dramatic lifestyle and diet change in this post, but i will share with you how i’ve found it to be so easy for me:

creativity in the kitchen

you see… i don’t follow recipes, i get inspired by them, and then create my own.

but not only that, i get inspired by what i see others eating, what i see in the market and what i find at different community’s grocery stores scattered around the city.

last weekend i went to a dinner party with the beautiful and incredibly talented Jennifer Picard Photography, and was introduced to a meal i’d never heard of before, Haystacks. it was kinda’ like a DIY make-it-yourself taco salad, built on each plate, layered and stacked from the bottom up.

so… for tonight’s dinner i decided to attempt a unique spin on this yummy and guilt-free protein-packed dish. here’s my step-by-step recipe, with pics as posted to Instagram.

recipe:

cactus (nopales) & kale quinoa haystack w/ spicy beans & hummus

Ingredients:

- 2 cactus (nopales) paddles

- 1 bunch of kale

- 1 medium onion

- garlic

- quinoa, cooked in vegetable broth

- pre-soaked beans

- tortilla chips

- hot salsa

- hummus

step 1

- prepare the napoles (cactus paddles).

Napole (Cactus) – Vegan Cooking

step 2

- remove the prickles, peel the tough outer edges with a potato peeler, wash and dice.

Preparing the Napoles (Cactus)

step 3

- saute diced napoles with coconut oil, onions, garlic, salt & pepper.

Sauteing the Napoles (Cactus)

step 4

- add chopped kale to the cactus mixture and add some olive oil at the end of cooking to moisten.

Sauteing the Napoles (Cactus) with Kale

step 5

- add onion, garlic, dried chilis, salt & pepper to pre-soaked beans (i used kidney beans, but use whatever bean you like), simmer with a cup or two of water and mash.

Homemade Spicy Refried Beans

step 6

- haystack layer one: add tortilla chips.

The beginning of the Haystack, a foundation layer of tortilla chips.

step 7

- haystack layer two: add cooked quinoa.

Adding Quinoa to the Haystack.

step 8

- haystack layer three: add cooked beans.

Adding Cooked Beans to the Haystack.

step 9

- final haystack layers: add cactus & kale mixture, top with spicy salsa and a generous dollop of fresh hummus.

Adding cactus & kale to the Haystack and topping with spicy salsa and a dollop of hummus.

step 10

Dinner is served!

Introducing, Napoles Kale Quinoa Haystack with Spicy Beans & Hummus.

Napoles Kale Quinoa Haystack with Spicy Beans & Hummus

step 11

eat with a fork and fingers… get in there!

Dog Jealousy over Napoles Kale Quinoa Haystack with Spicy Beans & Hummus

i hope this post has intrigued you to do something unique and creative for your next dinner. perhaps you’ve never eaten cactus before. if so, give it a go. it’s yummy, super easy to cook and it’s also a great accompaniment to salads too. but whatever you do…

don’t follow my recipe. be inspired by it.

let me know in the comments what you think of this crazy-ass Peruvian-meets-Mexican creation i’ve come up with.

happy eating.

bt