I had long grappled with my favorite food growing up. I, quite simply, liked all foods! Well, cilantro still isn’t my thing, and basil tastes like soap, but mostly, all foods!
I knew I loved sushi, ribs, tortellini, nachos… nachos. Nachos. I knew nachos were at least a top contender my senior year of high school, when I went to a new BBQ restaurant. On the menu were tender ribs, pork sandwiches, cheese fries, all lovely. But I, instinctively, ordered the BBQ nachos.
That moment had no thought, no planning. It was pure impulse based on my taste buds.
There it was. My answer. Nachos!
A few years later, I went to a similar restaurant that also served BBQ Nachos, but this one included a calorie count. 1500 calories for an order. Granted, I never finished a full order, and I knew the stuff wasn’t good for me. But that’s more calories than I usually eat in a day! Consuming them in one meal?
I couldn’t get it out of my head. But you know what I also couldn’t get out my head? Nachos.
So, I started to evaluate; what was it that I REALLY liked about nachos? The chips were always too salty and crunchy for my taste, and I often would scrape the cheese off with a spoon and eat it. So, I don’t really need chips. Hmmm…
A chip alternative could save me plenty off those calories while adding nutrition. And, of course, making them at home would likely make them healthier. I’ll replace the queso sauce with a conservative sprinkling of cheese, and add guac to compensate for lost creaminess. The BBQ probably added most of those calories, and I don’t really need it. Let’s do ground beef instead, with some light seasoning. No sour cream needed… hmmm….
Suddenly, a low-cal, low-carb nacho idea was coming to me. But what to do with the chips? Cheese crisps? High cal. Kale chips? Would fall apart. Cauliflower? Overdone.
Zucchini was the winner. Delicious, a beautiful color, and totally guilt-free. My favorite food was saved.
And now it’s saved for you, too.
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
- 4 zucchini
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon each cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar
- 2 avocados
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- additional salt&pepper for guac, to taste
- Other nacho toppings: salsa, black olives, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, whipped cream… kidding
TO PREPARE:
I do my zucchini in the microwave! It’s easy and less clean up. Slice it all super thin- a mandolin works great, or a very sharp knife and a prayer. Then microwave it on a parchment-lined microwave-safe plate for about 9 minutes. Unless you have a giant microwave and a huge plate, you’ll probably have to do it in batches.
Meanwhile, brown the beef in a skillet with some cooking spray, butter, oil, whatever. As it cooks, add all of the seasonings. Stir until done!
Make the guacamole: Mash the avocado, garlic, lime juice, and salt&pepper together and give it a taste. I like mine pretty garlicy and not too lime, so do what you gotta do. I also mash mine with a fork because I like big chunks.
Assemble! Get your plates ready. Lay down a layer of zucchini, then top with cheese and beef. Do another layer of zucchini, and more cheese and beef. Then, add all of your extra toppings.
Feel free to add BBQ sauce, use ground turkey, do shrimp, add a homemade salsa. It’s nachos! You can’t mess it up.
Anybody else out there have a favorite food you wish you could makeover? Comment and I’ll see what I can do!
whenkathycooks 