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Chili “Cheese” Spiced Dried Corn Nibblers

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raw vegan Chili "Cheese" Spiced Dried Corn Nibblers are great for snacking and tail mixes

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Have any of you eaten those Chili Cheese Flavored Fritos? My mind might be playing tricks on me, but that is what these corn nibblers remind me of.   I went in search to see just what those Fritos are made of and all I can say is, “Thank God that I don’t eat those anymore!”

How do I, a raw food chef know what Fritos taste like? Well, I wasn’t a health conscience eater for the first 35 years of life, and Fritos landed in my grocery cart many of times.

I remember my mom would make her famous Chili and then put a layer of those chips on top… it was a favorite of mine. But thank goodness, I don’t eat that way anymore. Look at the list of ingredients that I was putting into my body!

Here is the ingredient list of flavored Fritos:Whole corn, corn oil, salt, whey, spices, cheddar cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), whey protein concentrate, wheat flour, tomato powder, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium caseinate, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, Romano cheese from cow’s milk (cultured pasteurized part skim milk, salt, enzymes), dextrose, onion powder, sugar, natural flavor, butter (cream, salt), disodium phosphate, buttermilk solids, citric acid, garlic powder, artificial colors, lactic acid, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate. 

And to think I did it with four ingredients. :) Ok, so they aren’t an exact replica, but hey, for me they take the place of ever needing to eat Fritos again. These nibblers are great for snacking or even for sprinkling on a salad for a splash of flavor and crunch.

Ingredients:

yields 2 cups

Corn soak:

Add-ins:

Preparation:

  1. Place the corn kernels and salt in a large bowl and add enough water to cover the corn.  Stir and cover. Allow the corn to sit overnight in the fridge.
  2. When ready to make, drain the water from the corn through a strainer.  I did not rinse the corn.  Put the corn back into the bowl.
  3. Add the chili powder, nutritional yeast, and additional salt.  Toss until the corn is well coated.
  4. Spread 2-3 cups of corn on the mesh sheets that come with the dehydrator.
  5. Dehydrate at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) for 4-6 hours or until dry.
  6. Package the corn as soon as possible after cooling.  Store in airtight containers and keep it in the cupboard, pantry, refrigerator or freezer for future use. Dried corn has a shelf life of about 1 year.

Culinary Explanations:

11 thoughts on “Chili “Cheese” Spiced Dried Corn Nibblers

  1. Mary says:

    I love chili cheese fritos but not the long list of ingredients. I’m going to give the nibblers a try! Do I soak the frozen corn?

    • amie-sue says:

      Agreed Mary. :) If you use frozen corn, yes, do the same soak process. Since they soak overnight, I wouldn’t worry about thawing them first since they will do that anyway once they get in the water for that period of time. Have a wonderful weekend, amie sue

  2. Tammy Smith says:

    Think these nibbles would work in the nacho chip recipe too? Those were faaaaaaaantastic by the way. Solved my Doritos cravings!

    • amie-sue says:

      You betcha Tammy….. they would be great in that recipe! I so happy that you loved them Tammy… thank you for sharing. Have a happy day! amie sue

  3. Becky says:

    sounds yummy and I’m going to try this weekend. One question. 8 cups of corn really only yields 2 cups?

    • amie-sue says:

      Oh gosh Becky, I am sorry that I took so long to get back to you. I was under the weather yesterday. Yep, I got 2 cups dried out of 8 cups fresh. Tiny little buggers. :) Have a wonderful day, amie sue

  4. Sheree says:

    Hi there! I made these yesterday….AWESOME! Loved the flavor. And you’re right, they shrunk up pretty well. But it was well worth it! I ended up storing them in a Weck canning jar. The one thing I was curious about…the next day they weren’t as “crunchy” as they origianlly were. Does that mean I didn’t dry them long enough? Or do they lose their “crunchiness”?

    Thanks again for another great recipe!

    • amie-sue says:

      Sounds like humidity Sheree. Things to watch for: make sure that they are all the way dry before storing, allow them to thoroughly cool before storing and store the jar in a dark cool space. I have issues with humidity here in Oregon that I never faced in AZ or AK… I love those Weck canning jars. :) Have a great day, amie sue

      • Sheree says:

        UGH!!! Well now I know for next time :) Does this mean you have to throw your food out? Or can you just dehydrate them a little more?

        Thanks so much!

        Oh…and next I’m working on the Carrot Scone Recipe. Sounds delightful!

        • amie-sue says:

          No no Sheree, no need to throw it out. I would just dry it further if you can detect moisture in the end product. Depending on the current humidity, I sometimes have to “crisp” crackers back up to get them nice and dry. You can buy desiccant packages through Amazon or other places on line that can be added to sealed containers to help control the moisture level. I am sure that you have seen in other food products that you buy from the store. Just an idea. :) Did you make the scones?! Have a super-dooper day! amie sue

          • Sheree says:

            Yay…I won’t throw them out! Would have made me sad to do so. I’ll look into those little packets and consider getting some. Thanks for the tip!

            I haven’t made the scones yet. I think that will happen some time in the next few days. They do look delicious and I’m looking forward to making them. I have a question about them, so I’ll post the question on that recipe in case others have the same question.

            Thanks so much and have an awesome day!

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