Fresh & Healthy Nachos

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Fresh & Healthy Nachos – This recipe is a bit of a departure from my normal fare. Usually I am a from scratch girl, but to make things quicker and easier here, I use baked tortilla chips and jarred tomatillo salsa. These nachos are a great option for a fun and different family dinner or for entertaining. My kids just love them. This healthy upgrade to your favorite game day snack is a great example of healthy comfort food. Fun, satisfying and healthy, now that is truly comforting! Enjoy! – corn tortilla chips (preferably baked, unsalted and non-GMO), organic black beans (drained and rinsed), red bell pepper (seeded and diced small, preferably organic), sharp cheddar cheese or vegan cheddar cheese (grated coarsely), organic kale (dinosaur kale washed and chopped), Tomatillo Salsa (such as Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde), Marla's Mexican Rub ((see recipe below)), avocados (peeled and pit removed), cumin (ground), Salt, lime (juiced plus more for rub), Marla's Mexican Rub: Ancho Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika, Dry Oregano (crushed (preferably Mexican Oregano)), cumin (ground), garlic powder, Freshly ground black pepper, kosher or course sea salt, lime juice (freshly squeezed), , On a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking mat, arrange the tortilla chips in a single layer with the chips very close to one another. Carefully sprinkle a little bit of the cheese on each tortilla chip on the pan. Set aside until the kale and guacamole are made.; For the kale: In a large saute pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil or avocado oil. Place the kale in the hot pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Marla’s Mexican Rub. Saute until kale is vibrant green and tender, approximately 5 minutes. Once cooked, remove the kale from the heat and set aside until ready to assemble the nachos.; For the black beans: In a small sauce pan or microwave safe glass bowl, place the drained and rinsed black beans. Sprinkle the beans with 1 tablespoon of Marla’s Mexican Rub. Stir the beans to evenly distribute the rub among the beans. Heat the beans over medium low heat until warm or microwave on high for 1 minute.; For the guacamole: In a small bowl, mash the avocados until creamy and smooth. Add the salt, cumin and lime juice and stir until well combined. Set aside until ready to assemble nachos.; Turn on the broiler in your oven and once warm, place the sheet pan with the chips and cheese into the oven. Let them stay under the broiler until the cheese melts, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.; Transfer the warm chips to a large serving platter or distribute them among individual serving plates. Place the black beans on top of the chips, then place the kale on top of the beans, now place the red pepper and the salsa on the nachos and finally, top the nachos with a large dollop of guacamole. Enjoy!; Marla's Mexican Rub: Combine all ingredients except the lime juice in a small bowl. Mix well to combine. ; Sprinkle 1 T of the rub over the black beans and then squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lime on top. ; Do the same for the kale and cook both according to the process above. Any extra dry rub can be stored in an airtight container in your spice cabinet.; ; – I created this rub recipe to replace those packets of taco and fajita seasoning. This rub is full of smoky Mexican flavors and is much lower in sodium than the commercial packets. This combination works great on chicken breast, beef, white fish, shrimp, black beans or veggies for fajitas, grilled or baked tacos & tostadas. This can even be used on ground turkey, chicken or beef as taco seasoning by sprinkling the rub over the ground meat once it is mostly cooked and then adding about 1/2 cup of water to the seasoned meat. Continue cooking the meat until it is cooked through and the water reduces into a nice sauce for the meat. Finish the meat with a squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve and enjoy! – Appetizer – Dinner – Lunch – Snack – Mexican – Dairy Free – Gluten Free – Healthy Comfort Food – Vegan – Vegetarian