BEEF NACHOS

I love making vegetarian, chicken and beef nachos. I use chicken breast or mince and extra beans for vegetarian days, such as cannellini or 4-bean mix. Try to use two large, fresh tomatoes as a can of diced tomatoes has 55 more calories than 250g worth of fresh tomatoes, due to the sugar added to preserve it. However, if pressed for time, go diced rather than none. You can add any herbs you have on hand to these nachos; I like adding dried oregano and fresh chives. I can't go past baked mountain bread for nacho chips- they are crunchy, salt free and light on the waistline.  
I urge you to eat these nachos cheese-free, as I do! You save a whole bunch of extra fat and calories and you really taste the flavours sans cheese. 
I've made the guacamole very simple, like the rest of the recipe, however you could add garlic, lemon juice or even some ground cumin for more taste. 

Ingredients

• 6 pieces mountain bread
• 1/2 teaspoon rice bran oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g extra lean beef mince 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, diced 
• 1 x 400g tin red kidney beans (230g), drained & rinsed
• Optional: 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1/2 a medium avocado
• the juice of 1/2 lime
• Optional: fresh finely chopped herbs for serving, such as chives or parsley. 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. (You will need to repeat this process unless you have 2 baking trays).  Cut the  bread into even sized triangles and place on the tray. Bake the chips for 5 minutes or until just golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 

2. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Heat the garlic for 1 minute, then add the mince to the pan and stir frequently, breaking up any lumps. Cook the mince for 3-4 minutes or until just cooked through, then add the tomato paste and stir through. 

3. Add the diced tomatoes, the kidney beans and 1/2 cup (125ml) of water to the pan and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat to low, covered, and simmer for 6 minutes or until the bean mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in a pinch of ground black pepper, if desired. 

4. Whilst the bean mixture is cooking, mash the avocado in a small bowl, add a pinch of sea salt and/or pepper and the lime juice. Stir well to combine. 

5. Serve the nachos by arranging the chips on the outside of a large plate or in a separate bowl. Place the bean mixture in a medium bowl in the centre of the plate and top with the avocado guacamole. Sprinkle fresh herbs on top, if using. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes (including cutting the bread)

Total Cooking time / 15-20 minutes 

x Emily