Score on Game Day with Beef and Black Bean Nachos

This guest article is by my friend and Marin mom Nancy Grossi, author of the award-winning blog The Wife of a Dairyman. Nancy started her blog at the beginning of 2010, and offers a look into life on one of Marin's many dairy farms. One of her loves is cooking, and her recipe for Beef and Black Bean Nachos is the perfect thing for Super Bowl Sunday or even a family dinner. Enjoy!

A few weeks ago, while hanging out in Carmel with my friend, Katie, who is a source of inspiration to me on many levels and is the one and only reason my kids speak of North Dakota on a daily basis in our household, was telling me about a platter of nachos she made up to feed her family dinner one night… now, why hadn't I ever thought of that?!

After all, the chips are just like taco shells and I could throw on some garden fresh toppings for some healthy veggies, not to mention the beef and beans for protein.

It's like a healthy, hearty, one dish meal you can throw together within 10 minutes! Genius!… go with me on this.

So I began layering; chips, cheese, yellow and orange bell peppers, onions, ground beef and black beans.

A high protein meal the entire family could devour, and a perfect game-day appetizer, too.

Here's what you need for success:

• Tortilla chips or pita chips
• cheese of choice, I used low fat mozzarella, grated
• 1 pound of ground beef
• taco seasoning
• 1 can of black beans
• bell peppers
• 1 small red onion
• tomatoes, chopped if you have them

and any other topping you feel like chopping up and adding

Directions

Place ground beef in a skillet and brown. Add taco seasoning to taste and cook a little longer. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the tortilla chips on the foil. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of chips, layer with bell pepper, red onion, browned ground beef and black beans.

Place in oven on broil for 4–5 minutes. Just long enough so the cheese is good and melted.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole if desired.