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Healthy 12-Layer Nachos Recipe

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Want to use canned refried beans? Go ahead, just don't skimp on five-minute stuff, man: simple salsa, chips, and guac. Then layer the chips, bean, steak, Cheddar, salsa, guacamole, cream, tomato, onion, spring onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Heck, you could even argue that these are healthy. Think about it. Nachos that are baked, not fried; raw vegetables... it's almost a diet. Layer it high and proud.

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Healthy 12-Layer Nachos Recipe 1 Picture

Ingredients

  • Guacamole Recipe
  • 2 avocados, firm but with that slight give
  • localoffersIcon
  • Juice from 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • localoffersIcon
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Salsa Recipe
  • 8-10 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 bag cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 white onion, peeled and cut into thirds
  • localoffersIcon
  • Palm-full of cilantro leaves
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 3 grinds of black pepper
  • 1 lime
  • Nacho's recipe
  • Homemade tortilla chips (always corn!)
  • Simple salsa Guacamole
  • 2 large onions, minced
  • Canola or vegetable oil
  • One 15-ounce can refried beans
  • 1 1/2 pound skirt steak
  • 2 dried red chiles, pounded to powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper
  • Shredded Cheddar
  • Dollop of crema
  • 2 tomatoes, minced
  • Spring onion, minced
  • Cotija, crumbled
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly-sliced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chiffonaded

Details

Preparation

Step 1

Guacamole directions

Cut the avocado, remove the pit (reserve to replace if you buy into it preventing browning). Gently mash the avocado keeping some of the chunks for texture. Add lemon juice, tomatoes, salt, pepper and mix. Eat.

Salsa Directions

Combine the tomatoes, onion thirds, cilantro, garlic and jalapeño in the food processor. If you're feeling ambitious, char the jalapeño. Stick the pepper on a fork over an open flame on the stove and turn it until it's charred on all sides. Then throw it into the food processor.

Pulse. We're talking six pulses. Remove 3/4 of the resulting liquid and reserve. Pulse the remaining 1/4 six more times. Then add the reserved liquid and squeeze in the lime juice. Add the seasoning and that's it. You're done.

Nacho's direction

Make chips, salsa and guac. I'll catch hell for this, but sometimes you have to cut a few corners: refried beans from a can doctored up is a quick fix. Sauté 1 minced onion in oil. When translucent, stir in the refried beans and add a half cup of the salsa. Simmer.

Cut the steak into 2 or 3 pieces so that they'll fit in your pan. Crush the dried red peppers with salt in a coffee grinder or a molcajete. Coat the steak evenly with the rub on both sides. Heat a pan with oil, cook the steak for 2 minutes on high, flip, repeat, remove and let rest. Then slice in thin strips.

To assemble the dish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. And remember, it's about even distribution, order of layering for structure, and height. The more evenly and completely coverd, and the higher done, the better. Maximum flavor. If you have to take 2 bites out of it, then that's a nacho worth eating. Spoon a layer of refried beans over each nacho. Place a strip of steak on each chip, then completely sprinkle each chip with Cheddar. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees to melt for 2 minutes then remove. You can fold over the crunchy bits of Cheddar from the pan back onto the chips. Then it's about structured layering and what will stick.

To serve, layer the chips, beans, steak, Cheddar, warm salsa, guac, onion, tomato, crema, cotija, jalapeño, and cilantro. Repeat until done. 6 of these will fill you up nicely.

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