Healthy vegetarian snacks, inspired by Mexican foods, ingredients and seasonings, are popular with people of all ages. These snacks can be enjoyed as after school snacks for children, appetizers for adult gatherings, snacks for a teenagers' party or potluck dishes for a community meal. You don't have to be a vegetarian to prepare, serve or eat these snacks.
Mexican Bean Wraps
Mexican bean wraps can be served as a warm, healthy snack. To prepare this dish, start by gently frying onion in vegetable oil for 10 minutes, before adding tomato puree, garlic, chili powder, a can of drained black or pinto beans and a can of tomatoes in their own juice. Cook for 10 more minutes, divide the mixture in half and put half in a bowl. Using a hand blender, blend the mix until it becomes a bean paste, and spread the paste on corn or flour tortillas. Spoon on some of the unblended vegetable mix and top with grated cheese before rolling the vegetarian bean wraps, placing them in a baking pan, covering them with foil and baking them for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
Vegetable Cheese Quesadillas
Vegetable cheese quesadillas can be prepared in minutes. These quesadillas contain nutritious ingredients, such as onions, tomato, red bell peppers, carrots or any other vegetables you like. Chop up the vegetables and toss them together in a bowl. Warm a tortilla for two minutes in a lightly oiled or nonstick frying pan. Turn over the tortilla and spoon on some vegetable mix. Top the mix with fresh chopped spinach, plain yogurt, salsa and grated cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and warm until cheese melts, for about 3 minutes. Make as many of these as you need, taking each one out, putting it on a plate and covering it with foil. When ready to serve for children's snacks or appetizers, cut each quesadilla in half or in thirds and serve while still warm.
Vegetarian Nachos
Nachos are a popular vegetarian snack inspired by Mexican-style food, though probably not an authentic Mexican dish. Use healthy tortilla chips that are not too oily or salty. In a baking pan, prepare a few layers of chips, vegetarian refried beans and grated jack, cheddar or soy cheese. Heat for 10 to 15 minutes in a 300° oven, and then top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, olives, peppers and salsa. Guacamole and sour cream taste great with nachos. Vegans can substitute soy cheese and plain soy yogurt for the dairy products in these nachos.
Mexican Jicama Snack
Jicama, a versatile vegetable that is rich in vitamins, low in sodium and fat-free. Jicama is a food staple in Latin America. It is part of the legume family and grown in Mexico and Central America. Some say raw jicama tastes like pear or apple. Because it is slow to discolor if exposed to air, raw jicama is often served on raw vegetable platters. It is easy to prepare this refreshing Mexican snack. Peel the jicama and cut it into sticks, about the size of French fries. Combine the jicama sticks with lime juice and crushed red pepper, and toss the ingredients together before serving.
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