Gluten-free Nachos With or Without Beans

I went into the frig to see what I could make for lunch and staring me in the face was some leftover scrambled beef and several varieties of cheese.  I thought, nachos!!!  It turned out that I had about a half cup of refried beans in the freezer, which you can add or not, depending upon your tolerance for beans.  What a great lunch!  I seasoned up the beef and created my usual avocado and Greek yogurt dip recipe and viola! – gluten-free nachos! It really kept me going throughout the day, where I was not even hungry at dinner time. Very yummy and satisfying!

Gluten-free Nachos

Ingredients

• gluten-free tortilla chips (I use Padrino’s No Salt)
• 1/2 cup gluten free refried beans (optional)
• 3/4 to 1 cup ground beef
• 1/8 yellow onion, chopped (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons filtered water
• cumin
• chili powder
• sea salt
• oregano
• paprika
• garlic powder
• 1/8 cup canned chopped green chiles (optional)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cheddar cheese or your favorite cheese, shredded

Avocado Topping

• 1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup FAGE Greek Yogurt
• gluten-free chipotle sauce (I use Picante Bufalo.)
• splash of gluten-free white vinegar (I use Heinz.)
• garlic powder

Instructions

1. Scramble up the ground beef in a skillet until thoroughly cooked; or add leftover ground beef to skillet.
2. If using onion, saute until translucent.
3. Add water and seasonings; and stir.
4. Saute for about 5 minutes.
5. On a plate, add several tortilla chips; don’t worry about arranging the outside ones, just yet.
6. If using, warm bean; and add to chips in a circle, allowing room for beef in the middle.
7. Add beef to the middle.
8. Top with chiles, if using.
9. Arrange larger tortilla chips to the outside edges.
10. Top with cheese.
11. Microwave on a low to medium setting until cheese is melted. (Or make it in a oven proof dish and place under broiler for a few seconds/minutes.)

Instructions for Avocado Topping

1. Mash 1/2 an avocado.
2. Mix in about 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 10 drops of chipotle sauce, sprinkle of garlic powder and splash of vinegar.
3. Scoop onto top of nachos.

Lower in calorie and fat than traditional guacamole!

Enjoy!

Note: I use Rosarita refried beans, but I do not have Celiac Disease.  I read that their distilled vinegar may be derived from wheat or corn, but that the distilling process removes any gluten, but because of that reason they can not be called gluten-free.