Football season … gotta love it! (Well, maybe if your team is doing well?) Football season food … gotta have it! But bench the 1000 calorie nachos and let your taste buds tackle this playful, plant-based chili nachos party platter instead. It seems extra cheesy from the orange sweet potato. And it’s extra tasty from the mélange of vibrant ingredients. A cheerful appetizer to cheer on your team … or your favorite reality show star, if you wish. Go Buckeyes!

chili nachos party platter

Makes 5 servings

• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon avocado or peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup “medium” or “hot” salsa or salsa verde
• 1/4 cup minced (rehydrated) sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
• 1/4 cup plain vegan Greek-style yogurt or plant-based sour cream
• 1 cup homemade or canned organic vegetarian (bean) chili
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded plant-based cheddar cheese (preferably nut-based)
• 1 small microwave-baked or boiled sweet potato with skin, chilled, and finely diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors of heirloom varieties), thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Rub with your fingers (or brush with a silicone pastry brush) the oil onto the entire surface of both sides of the tortillas. Sprinkle with the chili powder. Cut the tortillas into 4 wedges each. Place the tortilla wedges in a single layer onto two large baking sheets. Bake until just crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let finish cooling and crisping on a rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
4. Add the avocado, 2 tablespoons of the onion, 1 tablespoon of the salsa, 1 tablespoon of the sun-dried tomato, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, salt, cumin, and juice from 2 of the lime wedges to a small bowl. Gently stir until just combined. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon of the sun-dried tomato.
5. Add the vegan yogurt to a small bowl and stir in the juice of 1 of the lime wedges; set aside.
6. Arrange the chips onto an oven-proof platter. Top the chips with the chili, plant-based cheese, sweet potato, jalapeño, and remaining sun-dried tomatoes and onion. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 6 minutes.
7. Top the warm nachos immediately with the cherry tomatoes and remaining cilantro. Garnish with the remaining lime wedges. Serve with the guacamole, yogurt mixture, and remaining salsa.

Per serving:
300 calories, 15g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 410mg sodium, 35g total carbohydrate, 7g dietary fiber, 6g sugars, 9g protein

Jackie’s Culinary Nutrition Tips!

• Heighten “heat” to heighten taste
• Boost or add herbs and spices, like fresh cilantro and ground cumin, for more aroma, flavor, and overall appeal
• Sprinkle with sun-dried tomato for an intense flavor burst without grease
• Focus on your favorite ingredient… for me that means going heavy on the avocado
• Add flavor brightness and balance with lime
• Go for volume with veggies–sweet potato provides the appearance of cheese and balances “heat” with slight sweetness
• Go for color–using a variety of colorful cherry tomatoes creates more eye appeal