Frito Pie

I have to admit, Frito Pie is a pretty brilliant idea. Corn chips and chili, with assorted toppings just make for a friendly little meal in my book. Besides, it's a great way to use up the last of that giant vat of 3 Bean Chili you made last week. I know Frito Pie is a popular dish in the south and southwestern parts of this country, but I'd never heard of it until we moved to Taos. Most of the Frito Pies we see around here are awful little things, made from canned chili, and served in styrofoam bowls for $1 at church bazaars and car washes. I've even heard of the "walking taco," which is actually made inside a mini bag of Fritos. Oh, Dear Holy Mother of Good Things to Eat, save us from these culinary atrocities. Amen. Here is the answer to my prayer...

Good For You Frito Pie

lettuce, chopped

corn chips

chili

vegan cheese (I like Daiya Pepperjack shreds)

tomatoes, diced

avocado, chopped

red onion, chopped

vegan sour cream

hot sauce

This is a good dish to have prepped for a crowd, and then let everybody make their own. Warm up the chili, and layer all ingredients in a bowl, or on a plate, in the order given, or in any old order that pleases you. This is a very flexible recipe. Omit anything you don't have or don't care for - in my case, raw onions. You won't find anything out there this good for a buck!

Note - While Fritos are the traditional corn chip used in Frito Pie, we steer clear of them because when corn products are not organic, chances are they're made with genetically modified corn. Given the choice, we prefer to go with Trader Joe's Organic Corn Chip Dippers. They taste amazingly like "real" Fritos, and they're more on the healthy end of the snack chip spectrum. You can also use any kind of organic corn tortilla chip you like.