Mexican Pile-on's

Here are the layers and amounts I use to serve 5-6 big eaters without any leftovers:
• Crushed chips (I use Guiltless Gourmet, Chili-lime chips – 1 bag is usually enough but I always buy 2 bags)
• Brown rice (have cooking on stove-top or rice steamer about an hour prior to serving – I always make 4-5 cups of rice) – should be warm when served
• Taco mix (see recipe below) – should be warm when served
• Lettuce (1 small head of romaine cut into narrow strips)
• Tomatoes (5-6 medium fresh, cut into small dice)
• 2 bunches of green onions (cut white and green into small slice)
• Cheese (I use one bag of shredded vegan/soy cheese and also a bag of shredded cheddar cheese, in separate serving bowls)
• Black olives (1-15 oz. can, sliced)
• 1-16 oz. jar of salsa
• Guacamole (see recipe below)

Taco Mix Layer:
1- Box soy crumbles (I currently use the Boca brand)
2-15 oz. cans small red beans (drain and rinse)
2 medium onions, diced small
4-5 large cloves fresh garlic, smashed or diced small
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2-cup water
Seasonings:
1-2 tsp. Chili powder (start with 1 teaspoon and increase to taste at the end to your family’s hotness tolerance)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Dried crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. Dried thyme
1 tsp. Dried parsley
1 tsp. Dried oregano

Mexican Pile-on's (cont.)

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large deep pan (I use my large soup pot). Lightly cook the garlic and onions. Add tomatoes, beans, water, and soy crumbles. Heat until soy crumbles are thawed. Add seasonings and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing sticks on the bottom. Taste and correct seasoning to taste. This recipe could also be made using 1# ground beef. (I would recommend first cooking the meat and draining the fat before adding the beef to the beans and spices.)
Guacamole:
2 fresh avocados (purchase a few days ahead to make sure they are softened and easy to smash) – halve and scoop out pulp and smash in a large bowl
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic smashed or chopped very fine (can also use any left-over roasted garlic cloves you might have hanging out in the refrig)
1 lime – cut in half and juice thoroughly into a small bowl or directly into the bowl with the smashed avocado
1-2 fresh small to medium size tomatoes – diced small
Small handful of sliced green onions
Directions:
Mix/smash all ingredients together in a serving bowl. Keeping the pits in the guacamole until it is served supposedly helps to keep it from turning brown. I usually make it up just before serving so this has not been a problem for me.