Recipe: Layered nachos grande

Ingredients:

Salsa

• 1 cup finely chopped ripe tomato, seeded

• ½ cup drained canned no-salt added diced tomatoes

• ½ cup finely chopped onion

• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

• 1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, seeded and very finely chopped

• 1tsp. fresh lime juice

Refried Black Beans

• 2 tsp. canola oil

• 1 can (15 oz.) no-salt added black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• Cooking spray

Nachos

• 24 restaurant-tyle reduced-sodium tortilla chips

• ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese

• 8 tsp. reduced-fat sour cream

• 8 cilantro leaves

• 1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced into thin rounds

• 4 (¼ -inch wide) avocado slices, halved crosswise

• ½ lime

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside. 

2. To make salsa, in mixing bowl, use fork to combine fresh tomato, canned tomato, onion, cilantro, chile pepper, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

3. To make refried beans, coat cast iron or other heavy medium skillet with cooking spray. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beans and cumin and ½ cup water. Using fork, mash beans until lumpy and a bit soft. Season to taste with salt.  Set aside ½ cup, reserving remaining beans for another use. 

4. To assemble nachos, arrange 8 tortilla chips on a prepared baking sheet. Top each chip with 1 tbsp. refried beans. Add ½ tbsp. cheese.  Top with a second tortilla chip. Sprinkle on ½ tbsp. cheese. 

5. Bake chips until cheese melts, for about 4 minutes. 

6. Using a wide spatula, transfer two stacked nachos to each of 4 plates. Spoon 1 tbsp. salsa on top of melted cheese and top each nacho with a third tortilla chip.  Top with another tbsp. Salsa, the sour cream, cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado. Add a squirt of lime juice.  Serve immediately. 

Makes 4 servings (2): Per serving: 280 calories, 10 g total fat, 35 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 8 g fiber.

Recipe from the American Institute of Cancer Research: www.aicr.org