Superbowl Vegan Treats

There is nothing more annoying then being at a social gathering and not having anything to snack on.

When thinking about Super bowl snacks, most people don't bother to care if their options are vegan or not. :(

So..  if you are interested in tasty vegan snacks to have alongside your tortilla ships and salsa dip, try these healthy and budget friendly treats.

Jalapeño boats are spicy, crunchy and extremely tasty! I made a uber-healthy version so if you are looking for something a bit more decadent feel free to add a vegan cheese or breadcrumbs to the recipe.

I paired the boats alongside a cilantro pesto.

Why cilantro?

Well.. pesto is notorious for being pricey when used with basil since you use such a massive amount in order to yield a decent amount of pesto. With this in mind, I substituted basil with cilantro in order to create a more affordable option.

Vegan Baked Jalapeño Boats
Inspired by: SimplyRecipes Baked Jalapeño Boats
Yields: 24 boats serving roughly 2-4 people.

12 jalapeños
1/4 cup of mixed veggies: corn and black beans (canned beans are most convenient)
1/4 bell pepper - cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt for taste
cilantro for garnish
optional: [vegan] cheese 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Wash jalapeños thoroughly and cut the jalapeños in half
Scrape out seeds and ribs of jalapeño for mildly spicy "boats" or leave them for the extra spice
Place corn, bell peppers, black beans and vegan cheese for the jalapeño boats. *
Salt to taste
Place jalapeños in an oven for 20 - 25 minutes until skin becomes slightly darkened and wrinkled (Bite it to ensure it is the texture you would like)
Allow for the boats to cool

*Any contents left over can be placed in a container and stored in the fridge.


Cilantro Pesto
2 bushels of cilantro
1/3rd cup of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic - minced
penne pasta
optional: pine nuts

Heat water to boil and add penne pasta - if using packaged penne pasta follow the instructions listed on the box
Add olive oil to a pan and place it on medium heat until you see bubbling*
Then add minced garlic to the pan and allow for the garlic to darken*
Allow the oil to cool for about 5-10 minutes
Add oil, cilantro and pine nuts to blender/food processor  until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Top it over cooked penne pasta and add salt, cayenne and black pepper for taste.

*I added modifications to conventional pesto recipes - since I like for my garlic to be very crispy and darkened.

Enjoy <3