Weight Watchers Take Out Tonight: Nachos Supreme

Cover recipe from Weight Watchers- Take Out Tonight, Copyright 2002
Nachos Supreme
I’ve been on the Weight Watchers diet program many times over the years, and I’ve had this cookbook for a long, long time. I’ve tried quite a few of the recipes in Take Out Tonight, but oddly enough never the cover recipe. Divided into ethnic chapters, the cookbook features 150+ restaurant favorites to make at home.   I can recommend this cookbook for purchase, without reservation, even if you’re not on the WW program.  The recipes are family-friendly, healthy choices.  Weight Watchers did a terrific job of replicating restaurant favorites, without skimping on flavor.

Nachos Supreme and Kung Pao Shrimp are the two recipes featured on the cover.   I went for the Nachos Supreme.  Traditional nachos display a plateful of tortilla chips smothered with gobs of melty cheese, beans and sour cream.  In the Weight Watchers’ version, the nacho goodies are piled onto individual bites for easier portioning.  Quartered corn tortillas are sprayed with cooking spray and crisped in the oven.  They’re then topped with a spiced up ground turkey-black bean mixture, sprinkled with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and returned to the oven for melting.   They’re finished off with chopped jalapeno, scallions and a sprinkle of cilantro.  If you’re on the Weight Watchers’ program, these nachos are going to taste like you’re cheating.  They’re every bit as good as the traditional kind (especially if you sneak in a dribble of reduced-fat sour cream). 

Nachos Supreme
Source: Weight Watchers- Take Out Tonight

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb. ground skinless turkey breast
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix
15 1/2 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
8 ounce jar taco sauce
Six 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. sliced pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 tomato, diced
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the turkey and the seasoning mix. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the beans and taco sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler. Arrange the tortilla pieces in one layer on the broiler rack; spray the tortillas lightly with nonstick spray. Broil 4 inches from the heat, turning frequently, until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes.
3. Transfer the tortilla chips to a 9×13-inch broiler proof baking pan. Spoon the turkey mixture evenly over the chips. Sprinkle with the cheddar and jalapenos. Broil 4 inches from the heat until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Top with the tomato, scallions, and cilantro. Serve at once.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size- 1/6 of the nachos)

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 215
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg
Sodium: 620 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 18 g
Calcium: 148 mg

WW Points: 4

Tips: If you tend to cook Mexican frequently, you might find it convenient to buy taco seasoning mix in a 6 to 7 ounce container. Otherwise, it’s available in individual packets.

Notes from Culinary Covers:
*I didn’t find the method of placing the cut tortillas directly onto the oven rack very easy to do.  They wanted to fall through the rack & I lost a couple that burned to a crisp on the bottom of the oven.  It was much easier to just place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
*The spiced-up turkey mixture was a tad spicy, even with using mild taco sauce.  I wouldn’t say it was very “kid-friendly.”
*Reduced-fat cheese doesn’t melt very well at all, especially if it’s a generic brand.  If you mix a small amount of real cheddar in with the reduced-fat, it melts better.
*A small dollop of sour cream on top… is worth the extra calories.

Did this recipe deserve the cover:  Yes.  It shows the Weight Watchers’ members that even comfort food like fat-laden nachos can be properly lightened up and eaten on their program.  Larger, more appetizing pictures of the dish might be more of a draw for me if I were a consumer looking to buy the cookbook.

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Tagged as: Appetizers, Mexican, weight watchers