Last year I was lucky enough to spend a month living in the middle of Manhattan.
When I travel I am not usually a big city person and much prefer to get off the beaten track, discovering smaller towns with slower paces of life.
New York City is the exception to that rule.
There is something indescribably enticing about the energy and excitement of this city that quickly pulled me in.
The smell of pizza and bagels wafting from every street corner and the incredible diversity of people, which can vary dramatically from block to block, are incredibly alluring.
While many can be overwhelmed by New York, I think having grown up in Sydney helped me cope with how big and bustling the Big Apple was and I got drawn into every moment.
A big part of life in New York is food.
I had a lot of time to explore all of the best spots around the island and just enough time to cement my favourite places.
I was staying in a beautiful old apartment building which was right around the corner from Chipotle (a Mexican takeaway chain ala Mad Mex in Australia).
I have to admit, I succumbed to its temptations a few times.
Mexican food has a sweet spot in my heart.
It has always been a delicious and easy way to ensure I can find something suitable for my gluten and dairy free food needs.
This has a little to do with many of the staples being made with corn instead of wheat as well as being able to self-construct the meals.
There was one part of Chipotle which I could never forget: the tortilla chips.
They made their own tortilla chips which were irresistibly limey and zesty.
The first time I tried these I knew I would be recreating them.
As soon as I got back to my kitchen I started experimenting with baking corn tortillas in olive oil, salt and lime juice.
The result was definitely better than those at Chipotle (in my humble opinion).
It didn't take long for me to realise that the oil on the chips was actually not essential and, in fact, the chips were crispier without much oil.
A squeeze of lime juice over the tortillas allowed the salt to stick and let me get away with not drowning the chips in oil.
I don't know about you, but I would much prefer to have an extra spoonful of guacamole on my nachos than to have my tortillas deep fried.
“¿Por que no los dos?”, I hear you ask.
Of course, my experiments with homemade tortilla chips quickly led into epic nacho feasts as well as an exceptionally delicious Nacho Cheese Sauce that packed just the right amount of punch.
The combination of zesty chips, spicy chili beans, ripe guacamole and creamy nacho cheese sauce has got to be one of the most epic recipes to be featuring on the blog thus far.
Yes, this recipe will require a little more work than my average recipes but let me assure you, it is more than worth it if you are up for the challenge.
This is the ultimate sharing meal, although I certainly won't judge you if you prefer to scoff these alone.
No need for side plates, just serve these nachos on the baking tray and dig right in!
This recipe is gluten free, vegan, oil free and will serve 2 people.
2 comments
Hi Sandra, so glad to hear you liked the recipe. Baked tortilla chips are great aren’t they? Have a great day! :)
Brilliant recipe and taste. I really tastes such a solution and do it often. Theoretically, these chips can fry or bake – I always choose baked, I think they are then tastier and healthier.
Still, I found a different solution with poppy seeds, nuts and other additives http://www.open-youweb.com/how-to-make-homemade-tortilla-chips/ and can anyone advise what else can you say to them?