Healthier, but not really healthy, nachos.

edited June 2011 in Life
Someone posted something in another forum requesting a method for healthy nachos. I think this is basically impossible as the amount of fat in the chips and cheese alone makes it basically unhealthy, but there is no reason one couldn't tweak it a bit to make it as healthy as possible without compromising too much on flavor.

The chips are the big problem here, and the zero fat baked ones turn to mush at the slightest bit of moisture, so they are not an option. There are some whole grain options, and I actually really like some of the whole grain nacho chips, a little fiber will help prevent a little fat from being absorbed as well. So lets start with a couple of handfulls of whatever whole grain nachos you choose with the lowest amount of fat you can find.

For the cheese, I think a blend of skim milk Mozzarella and low fat medium cheddar will be best. Lower fat cheese has different melting characteristics and the finer you can grate it the better. Blend the cheeses together well and cover them in a bowl till you need them.

Veggies; too many veggies make for soggy nachos, I think. But some fine chopped green peppers, onions, and jalepenos and olives are nice, and will raise the health aspect a bit.

Beef, I think nacho's with chicken are a crime, but if you want to substitute ground turkey or grilled chicken breast go ahead. If you are going to use beef follow the directions on the good ol' El Paso pouch with a couple of differences. Start with lean ground beef, and to make sure all the fat is removed, rinse it under hot water in a strainer then return it to the pan and follow the recipe. Adding some chopped onions, garlic, and peppers to the mix while it is frying will add some bulk and a little nutrition.

For dip, low fat sour cream and salsa should do. I have yet to make a low fat bean dip that didn't taste like ass, but if someone has a recipe, please post it as it would round out the method nicely.

To finish off your nachos just spread your toppings and cheese evenly over two layers of chips, then bake in a 325f oven until the cheese melts, check them often.

C/O
"anything is healthy once in a while, except for cyanide, and chipotle"

Comments

  • ocelotocelot Acolyte
    edited June 2011
    I'd replace the mozzarella/cheddar mix with simply cheddar in emulsion with milk, using sodium citrate as the emulsifier. This way you've got a nice nacho cheese consistency, creamy and not too thick, just like at the movies.

    Sodium citrate is the salt of citric acid, which you can either buy or make yourself by slowly adding baking soda to lemon juice until it stops fizzing, and then evaporate the liquid in a dish, scrape up your citrate and add it to your milk/cheese mix.

    Other than that, good guide.
  • edited June 2011
    ocelot wrote: »
    I'd replace the mozzarella/cheddar mix with simply cheddar in emulsion with milk, using sodium citrate as the emulsifier. This way you've got a nice nacho cheese consistency, creamy and not too thick, just like at the movies.

    Sodium citrate is the salt of citric acid, which you can either buy or make yourself by slowly adding baking soda to lemon juice until it stops fizzing, and then evaporate the liquid in a dish, scrape up your citrate and add it to your milk/cheese mix.

    Other than that, good guide.

    I gotta say I much prefer regular cheese to the goopy shit.... Mb that's a random thing of mine that i do lol
  • edited June 2011
    ocelot wrote: »
    I'd replace the mozzarella/cheddar mix with simply cheddar in emulsion with milk, using sodium citrate as the emulsifier. This way you've got a nice nacho cheese consistency, creamy and not too thick, just like at the movies.

    Sodium citrate is the salt of citric acid, which you can either buy or make yourself by slowly adding baking soda to lemon juice until it stops fizzing, and then evaporate the liquid in a dish, scrape up your citrate and add it to your milk/cheese mix.

    Other than that, good guide.

    That is some very interesting info, I suppose the sodium citrate breaks down the protein bonds and helps the cheese emulsify, I will have to test this. I like to sell "stadium style" nachos on game nights where I work, a mornay(bechamel sauce with cheese added) sauce made with sharp cheddar spiked with some chopped jalapenos served over some warm nacho chips. I might still stick with my original method for cost reasons, but I love reverse engineering processed foods. The salt will likely do the same thing even if it is still in solution, no?

    C/O
    "food and drug, not just a government department, it's my life"
  • ocelotocelot Acolyte
    edited June 2011
    That is some very interesting info, I suppose the sodium citrate breaks down the protein bonds and helps the cheese emulsify, I will have to test this. I like to sell "stadium style" nachos on game nights where I work, a mornay(bechamel sauce with cheese added) sauce made with sharp cheddar spiked with some chopped jalapenos served over some warm nacho chips. I might still stick with my original method for cost reasons, but I love reverse engineering processed foods. The salt will likely do the same thing even if it is still in solution, no?

    C/O
    "food and drug, not just a government department, it's my life"
    Yes, it'll work the same if it's still in solution. It'll also have some sodium ascorbate, the salt of vitamin C, which is very healthy.
  • edited June 2011
    Why would you want to eat fagged up nachos?
    That's like buying a Ferarri and having the accelerator limited to 45
    You speed when the highways are clear, and you enjoy nachos at a reasonable rate to avoid tickets and obesity respectively
    The requester of this topic needs to learn some fucking discipline and should have received corporal punishment as a youth.
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