But I Love Nachos: Legit Fusion Food That You Can Feel Good About

So I'm pretty much a sucker for nachos, or any other food smothered in cheese for that matter. While nachos shouldn't be a staple dish in anyone's diet, I'm always delighted by the layering textures you get when you bite into nachos...so I tried to replicate that with inspiration from my fav cuisine of all time, Mediterranean! Plus, I LOVE ME SOME FETA CHEESE!

I also, kind of love when chips in my nachos get a little soggy...so how do I get my healthy "med" chips (as I so affectionately have shortened the name) a little, soggy without the cheesy goodness?

Hummus, is the answer...to everything. I'm just kidding, but hummus will certainly act as a creamy, filling, "soggy-ing", agent as a replacement for nacho cheese.

What's even better is that I made my own. homemade "hummus" of sorts with sweet potatoes and some Asian influences (ginger and soy sauce!)

This dish is TRI-FUSION (Mexican themed, Mediterranean and Asian - inspired) Hmm...I feel like I should patent this dish, or get some serious world record cred? Maybe I'm being overly ambitious...

In any case, the hummus was so simple and easy to make! Extremely filling (as sweet potatoes are often used as an excellent substitute in veg dishes!). And on top of it all, I added half of a chicken breast! I thought I'd never say this but, a little nacho goes a long way.

Got real crafty and used some near-expiring lavash bread (pita works great too!) and made some baked, lavash chips. Clearly, a lot of TLC went into this dish.

Mediterranean Nachos with Homemade Sweet Potato Hummus

Adapted from Keepin' It Kind and Kid Cultivation 

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of lavash bread, cut into small squares ( or a few pieces of pita, depending on how hungry you are!)
• 1/2 of an english cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Sweet Potato Hummus:

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 Tbs tahini
• 1 Tbs minced ginger (or ginger paste)
• 3 tsps soy sauce
• 1-2 tsps Sriracha

Directions for Hummus:
1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks. In a pot of water, bring potatoes to a boil and then simmer for about 15-20 minutes until slightly tender. Save potato water to help combine hummus later.
2. Drain and let them cool slightly.

So I improvised here because I ran out of soy sauce! Worked like a charm.

3. In a food processor, add sweet potatoes, ginger, tahini, soy sauce and Sriracha. Pulse until smooth and creamy. If slightly chunky, add in a teaspoon of reserved water from potatoes to hummus. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Directions for Nachos:
1. Cut lavash into squares and place on a cookie sheet, spray with Pam.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place lavash in oven for aout 10 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy.
3. In the meantime, prepare "fattoush salad"... as this is pretty much what this salad is! Slice cucumber in half, then in half again so that you have cucumber quarters. Cut into chunks and place into tupperware.
4. Cut grape tomatoes in half and add to cucumbers. Slice kalamata olives and add drained and cut artichoke hearts to salad.
5. Toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, lots of pepper and 1/2 tsp of dried basil.

6. Store this in the fridge until you are ready to use it! If you don't add the feta at this stage, this salad will keep for 2 days in the fridge.
8. Once lavash chips are don, plate them and spread sweet potato hummus with a fork. Top with salad and crumbled feta. (Note: I added some sliced chicken breast that I had on hand for added protein!)

9. Keep remaining lavash chips in an airtight container for about 5 days as well.