Recipe | Capsicum Nachos

After a recent nachos gorge session I figured there must be a more healthy way to enjoy the Mexican cuisine classic. I've seen recipes around the internet using mini capsicums in a similar way but none using my favourite ingredients and truly utilising the capsicum as a corn chip replacement. I know that Jess' favourite food is capsicum so when she came over for a chilled out girls night I knew it was the time to try this recipe (she's also very handy in the kitchen). 

Serves 4 - 5

Ingredients

2 packets of miniature capsicums, halved and deseeded

3 tomatoes, diced

cucumber, diced

small red onion, diced

400g tin corn kernels 

1 green capsicum, diced

1 lemon, juiced

1 lime, juiced

400g tin Old El Paso Mexe-Beans

bottle of Old El Paso Think n Chunky Medium Salsa

sour cream

guacamole (1 ripe avocado, 1tbsp sour cream, salt and pepper smashed together)

2 cups tasty cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 200°C. 

On a baking tray lined with wax proof paper arrange the capsicum halves so that they're quite bunched together with the open side facing upwards. Place in oven for 10 minutes then remove. 

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, mix red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, green capsicum, lemon and lime juice. 

Spoon Mexe-Beans and the Medium Salsa evenly on top of the partially cooked capsicums. Next, sprinkle over a thin later of cheese. Spoon the diced vegetable salsa on top. You may end up with excess salsa; this can be stored in the fridge for use at a later date. Cover your nachos with the remaining cheese and place in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to become golden.

Once cooked, serve with sour cream and guacamole.  

Enjoy your healthier nachos!
Erin xx

Recipe | Cayenne Chicken and Salsa

I have been becoming rather obsessed with the concept of salsas as sides lately and have been experimenting with many different variations. This recipe includes a very traditional salsa but traditional does not imply it is any less amazing. The cayenne pepper I used in my version of this recipe was incredibly hot so the tomato and avocado act as a delicious cooling agent. 

Ingedients
2 chicken breasts, halved
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tsp sea salt
1 cup uncooked quinoa 
2 tomatoes, roughly diced 
1 avocado, roughly diced
1 red onion, roughly diced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
sea salt and cracked pepper
sour cream

In a bowl, coat each piece of chicken in 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp of sea salt. Cook the chicken in a large fry pan with a small coating of vegetable/sunflower/rice bran oil until cooking the whole way through.

Pour the quinoa in a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water. Place over a low heat and cover until the water has been absorbed into the quinoa. Take off the heat once cooked. 

Meanwhile, in a bowl, coat the diced red onion in the lemon and line juice and let is soak for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is almost cooked. Add the remaining tomato and avocado and mix through. Season with salt and pepper.

The chicken and quinoa should be cooked by now. To serve, place a spoonful of quinoa as a bed in the centre of the plate followed by one half chicken breast. Spoon over some of the salsa with a dollop of sour cream on the side. Again, season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve and enjoy! Tara and I found this to quite a hot dish so feel free to change the quantities of cayenne pepper you use. I loved the flavour and will probably the use the same amount again and continue to use a lot of sour cream. My preferred brand of sour cream is actually the one by Weight Watchers - it tastes the same has a lot less fat than other brands.  

Erin xx