Lighten Up Nachos Recipes

LIGHTER NACHOS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. For each tortilla, brush both sides with some of the oil, and cut into 12 wedges. Repeat. Put all the wedges on 2 large baking sheets and bake for about 10 mins or until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside. Turn up the oven to 200C/180C/gas 6.
• For the guacamole, put the chopped avocados in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork, keeping some texture. Stir in the lime juice, spring onions, coriander and season with the Tabasco and seasoning. Set aside.
• For the beans, tip them into a bowl, stir in the garlic, chilli and cumin powders, roughly mash with a fork, then mix in about 2 tbsp of water, or enough to make a rough mash. Season and set aside.
• For the salsa, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice and oil. Season and set aside.
• Ten minutes before you're ready to serve, scatter the tortilla chips over a large baking tray or ovenproof platter. Spoon the beans in little mounds over the chips, then spoon over the salsa (if the salsa has been made ahead, use a slotted spoon so you leave any tomato liquid behind that could soften the chips). Scatter over the jalapeño chilli and mozzarella.
• Bake for 4-5 mins, just long enough to melt the cheese and warm things through, but not over-brown the tortilla chips. Remove and spoon over the crème fraîche and scatter with coriander, and put the guacamole in 1 or 2 small dishes on the side. Serve immediately.

LIGHTENED-UP SUPER NACHOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the tortilla chips on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with the black beans, tomato and scallions. Bake until warmed through, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce and prepare the jackfruit.
• For the low-fat cheese sauce: Combine the flour, salt, onion powder and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour toasts, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the cream cheese and whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and even. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts.
• For the jackfruit: Put the olive oil and jackfruit in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chili powder and garlic salt and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the salsa and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve: Stir the salsa into the cheese sauce. Top the nachos with the jackfruit. Pour the salsa-and-cheese-sauce mixture over the nachos. Top the nachos with the lettuce and guacamole. Dollop on the sour cream or put it in a squeeze bottle and squeeze it in a zig-zag pattern all over the nachos.

LOADED NACHOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Arrange a layer of tortilla chips on the tray. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cooked beef in a layer over the chips (don't drown the chips!) then layer with 1/3 of the beans, 1/3 of the jalapeno peppers, 1/3 of the pico de gallo, and 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese; drizzle 1/3 of the queso blanco over top. Repeat layers once more, starting with chips and ending with queso blanco. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Remove from the oven and transfer nachos to a platter. Top with shredded lettuce and remaining beans, jalapeno peppers, and pico de gallo.
• Stir sour cream with just enough water to thin slightly; drizzle over the nachos. Drizzle remaining queso blanco over top and sprinkle with scallions. Arrange remaining chips around the edges of the platter.

LIGHTENED UP GREEK NACHOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a rack on the second-to-top position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Set aside.
• Whisk together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the honey and half of the lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl. Cut the cucumber in half and dice one half into 1/4-inch pieces. Add the cucumber to the bowl with the vinaigrette along with the grape tomatoes. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Grate the other half of the cucumber on a box grater over a mixing bowl. Wrap the grated cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid over the bowl. Reserve the liquid. Place the grated cucumber into another bowl and add the remaining lemon zest and juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, the yogurt, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Add the hummus to the bowl with the reserved cucumber liquid and whisk to combine. The hummus should be thin enough to drizzle; if not, add 1 tablespoon water at a time until you reach the proper consistency.
• Spread the pita chips onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, allowing some overlap. Scatter the kasseri cheese evenly on top and bake until the cheese is melted and the pita chips are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To serve, scatter the shredded chicken evenly all over the pita chips. Drizzle with the hummus and top with the marinated cucumbers and tomatoes using a slotted spoon. Garnish with dollops of the cucumber yogurt sauce and kalamata olives.