Cottage Cheese Queso Nachos

• 90 g (3 tortillas) Corn tortillas (3 small tortillas)
• 5 g Olive oil (1 tsp)
• 0.5 g Salt (a pinch)
• 330 g 2% cottage cheese (11.6 oz)
• 30 g Reduced-fat cheddar, grated (1.1 oz)
• 1 g Chili powder (⅓ tsp)
• 1 g Ground cumin (½ tsp)
• 1 g Garlic powder (⅓ tsp)
• 10 g Lime juice (⅔ tbsp)
• 70 g raw Tomato (2.5 oz raw)
• 35 g raw Red onion (1.2 oz raw)
• 15 g raw Jalapeño (0.5 oz raw)
• 5 g raw Cilantro (⅓ cup chopped)

You'll need: Baking sheet, Blender, Small saucepan, Spatula, Cutting board and knife.

Method

1. Bake the tortilla chips

   Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges, toss them with the oil and salt and spread them on the baking sheet in one layer. Bake for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until crisp and lightly browned.

   Don't leave them. Thin corn chips go from golden to burned in under a minute.

2. Blend the queso

   While the chips bake, blend the cottage cheese, half the cheddar, the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and lime juice for 45–60 seconds, until completely smooth.

   Blend until there's no grain left. A silky base is what makes this taste like real queso.

3. Warm the queso

   Pour the queso into the saucepan over low heat. Add the rest of the cheddar and stir for 3–4 minutes, until hot and smooth.

   Keep it below a simmer. Cottage cheese splits when it boils.

4. Load the nachos

   Dice the tomato and onion, slice the jalapeño and chop the cilantro. Pile the chips on a plate, pour the warm queso over the top and scatter over the tomato, onion, jalapeño and cilantro.

   Pour the queso over only half the chips. Then there are crisp ones left for dipping.

Swaps

• Corn tortillas → Baked whole-wheat pita wedgesSturdier and more filling, with a little more fiber.
• Reduced-fat cheddar → Pepper jackA bit of heat, with about 15 kcal more. Use the same weight.