“Haystacks” are a traditional Adventist version of a taco salad: beans, chips, salad greens, and tomatoes are assembled into a layered dish that is easy to customize. You can find it at any Adventist potluck or Friday night vespers gathering. Some people use Frito’s corn chips as the base, but low-sodium tortilla chips are a healthier option. Haystack ingredients are usually served individually so that people can pick and choose what they like, assembly-line fashion: the ultimate taco bar!
2 cups lightly salted or low- sodium tortilla chips (use blue corn chips for a nice presentation)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 avocado, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1⁄2 cup corn kernels
1 cup cooked black beans (drained and rinsed if using canned)
1 cup good quality salsa
Suggested Toppings:
Sliced pickled jalapeños
2 to 3 green onions, sliced
Chopped cilantro, optional
Cashew cream drizzle, optional
1⁄2 cup meatless crumbles, optional
If assembling as a completed dish, on a large platter spread a layer of tortilla chips.
Then add a layer of lettuce and any other chopped vegetables, followed by a layer of beans, then salsa.
Add all other toppings, then drizzle with cashew cream and a sprinkle of meatless crumbles, if desired.
Following this assembly order keeps the chips from getting soggy, allowing you to make this dish ahead of time.
Note: Feel free to get creative: Play with adding olives, cucumbers, zucchini, roasted red peppers, pepitas, or whatever other veggies you have on hand to create your own version of a hay- stack, adding these between the lettuce and bean layers. You can also change the flavor by changing up salsa to use as the dressing.
The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. The Blue Zones’ food tradition is going the way of the dodo bird, thanks to the encroachment of the American Food Culture.
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