Veggies, Chips, and Dip

I've been trying to perfect a fast queso style sauce for topping dishes or to use as a dip. I'm still playing with different flours and flavours, but wanted to share this fast version with you all in the meantime. You can adapt this as a satisfying snack or a brunch for the family. This fat free dish takes about 20 minutes to make and packs a satisfying crunch and has a hidden source of protein and B vitamins!

Ingredients
2 large Russet potatoes well washed and thinly sliced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp tamari/ soy sauce
Veggies of your choice- I used a handful of raw spinach along with some thinly sliced bell pepper, broccoli florets, and courgette/zucchini which I sauteéd with a little water and apple cider vinegar.
I also added a few slices of marinted tofu for an extra boost of protein


For the queso style dip/sauce
3 tbsp chickpea/garbanzo flour
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
a pinch of salt- I used roasted garlic sea salt by Cornish Sea Salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (nooch)
dried herbs of your choice- I used some dried spring onion/ scallion and garlic scapes

Method
Preheat your oven to 425°F/ 220°C
Place the thinly sliced potato onto a baking sheet lined with parchment/ baking paper. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar and soy sauce on top, and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy, checking after 10 minutes to ensure the smaller pieces are not beginning to catch/burn.

Thinly slice your vegetables- if serving as a snack/ dip the veggies can be left raw to give a sturdy vehicle for the dip as well as a satisfying crunch!
If serving as a brunch rather than snacks, you can try sauteing the veggies and using the queso style dip as a sauce. To sauteé, heat 1 tbsp water and a few drops of apple cider vinegar in a pan on low to medium heat, add the veggies, and cover allowing them to part steam, part sauteé.

In a small saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups warm water and heat to a boil on medium heat. If you would like your sauce to have a spicy kick, at this point you should add some dried chilli flakes- chipotle chilli would give a gorgeous smokeyness to the dish.
Add the chickpea flour and stir, if the mixture is too thick, add a litle more water. Continue stirring for another 2 minutes and you should see the mixture thicken up a little more. At this point, add the cumin seeds, garlic powder, mustard, paprika, salt, and any other seasonings you would like. Stir until combined, then cover the saucepan and remove it from the heat.

Adapt to make the perfect balanced weekend brunch, or a great game day snack! Nobody would ever know it's fat free, gluten free, vegan, and packed with protein!