N is for Nachos

Hi Everyone!
Sorry it has been a couple of days since I last posted. Friday was my birthday so I ate out last night and didn't have a recipe to post. I haven't eaten out in MONTHS so my tummy was pretty angry with me, but it was worth it because I had a really nice time with my friends! Also, you will be happy to know that my wonderful husband bought me a new camera for my birthday so I can now take nicer pictures of my food. It even has a setting for pictures of food!
Anyway, onto today's topic. Many people would say that nachos are unhealthy junk food, or something you eat at sporting event. The way I make them, not so. I make nachos that you can be proud to feed your family - no processed cheese food involved! Oh, and the meat mixture I use to top the nachos I also use when I make tacos.

Yummy Healthy Nachos

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef
• 1 envelope taco seasoning (without MSG -look for one that only has the spices listed as the ingredients)
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 butternut squash, cooked and pureed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans
• 1 (6 oz) can diced green chilies
• 1 (8 oz) bag shredded cheddar cheese or mexican blend cheese

• 3/4 large bag of tortilla chips (I like to use Organic blue chips, but any will work)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat a skillet with deep sides and add the ground meat. Cook until no longer pink. Add the green pepper, the onion and the taco seasoning. Cook until the onion is transluscent. Add the butternut squash, the diced tomatoes, the black beans, and the green chilies. Cook another 5 minutes or so to allow flavors to marry. In casserole dish, layer chips, meat mixture, and cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. I like to serve these nachos simply with sour cream, but you could also top them with salsa and guacamole. I also like olives on my nachos but David does not so I tend to leave them off when making these for him, however, if you like olives, add them on top of the cheese before baking.

These nachos are full of veggies, and the beans give them an extra punch of fiber. Blue corn chips are better for your than regular corn chips. They contain more of the amino acid lysine and the antioxidant anthocyanin. They also have a lower starch content and a lower glycemic index than regular corn tortilla chips. They are also much higher in fiber. If you have never eaten blue corn chips before, I highly recommend trying them. I prefer them to regular corn tortilla chips.

I hope you all had an excellent weekend and until next time, happy cooking!