Easy weekend meals: Friday's healthier nachos leftovers turn into hamburger vegetable soup!

So last week, I asked my husband what he'd like to eat for supper. I had a few ideas, but our preferences are a little different. For example, I could easily live without red meat most of the time, while he likes to include it at least once a week. This time, his idea was to have nachos. 

I thought: Ok, I can work with this. The nachos you get at a pub are greasy, salty, and heavy. But with a variety of topping options, I bet I can create a healthier version that tastes great and is satisfying. 

Please note I'm claiming healthier not healthy. 

I chose to use white corn tortilla chips as the base. They are salty but whole grain. After laying down a single layer of chips, I then loaded them up with a mix of vegetable and high-protein toppings to try to balance out the meal. This also makes it less heavy, and more satisfying. Black beans are one featured ingredient I think isn't used enough. You could add additional vegetables that I didn't have on hand. For example, sliced olives and jalapeño would work well. 

Recipe #1: Healthier Nachos

Serves 3-4

Vegetables
~10 fresh white mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 small yellow onion, or 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 to 1 red pepper, finely sliced or diced
1/2 to 1 green pepper, finely sliced or diced
1-2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced

Whole grains
1/2 a family-sized bag of white corn tortilla chips

Protein foods
1 cup (1/2 can) black beans, drained & rinsed
~400g raw ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken)
A few ounces of old cheddar cheese, grated

Optional topping
Prepared salsa, or salsa & plain greek yogurt mix

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven using the Broil setting. (500F)
2. Arrange chips in a single layer on a baking sheet. 
3. Cook ground meat, mushrooms, onion and garlic (if using) in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is cooked through, onion is translucent, and mushrooms are soft. 
4. Sprinkle a light layer of cheese over the chips, then about 1/2 the meat mixture, and the beans. Repeat a light layer of cheese, then add as much of the peppers and tomato as will reasonably stick. Try to have an approximately even amount of cheese, meat, and vegetables on each chip. 
5. Place in hot oven for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and some browning has occurred. 
6. Serve individual portions on their own plates, so you have a better sense of what you've personally eaten. Sauce dishes of fresh salsa are welcome additions, and feel free to mix in plain greek yogurt if you'd like extra creaminess. 

 So after making one baking tray of nachos, you likely have some ingredients left over, including some cooked meat/veg mixture, 1/2 can of black beans, and some chopped vegetables. You could make more nachos. Or, after satisfying that want, switch to something lighter. Soup, for example. 

Recipe #2: Hamburger & Vegetable Soup

This is super simple. Take all your leftovers from making nachos (except the chips), add cabbage or carrots, broth, and more tomatoes, and you have a whole new meal. 

Ingredients: 
Cooked ground meat, seasoned with onion & garlic
1 cup canned beans
Leftover vegetables
Extra vegetables: 2 cups cabbage, or carrots
2 cups diced tomatoes (canned)
3-6 cups vegetable broth

Directions: Toss all ingredients into a soup pot. Make sure that broth is covering any uncooked ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. 

Makes up to 6 servings. Tasty with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.