Sweet Potato Chili Nachos

So, I’ve been to four Harris Teeters in 10 days. The perks of a big city. AND I only got lost five times this week. Last week, was seven for seven.

Let me tell you about my new favorite cookbook — The Food Medic, by Dr. Hazel Wallace. Aside from having a foodie name, Hazel is a gorgeous, young, fit, BRITISH, junior doctor. I stumbled across The Food Medic’s instagram page one day and ordered her cookbook via Amazon Euro within minutes. It only took 12 days to arrive.

“Cookbook” is a bit misleading. This health and fitness treatise includes recipes, workouts, motivational tips, a suggested shopping list and a wealth of nutrition facts.

My favorite section is titled “nutrition myths.” We do that, you know. Our society loves to make up diet myths. So many rules. Don’t eat carbs after breakfast, do eat protein, don’t eat meat, only cook with coconut oil, eat six small meals a day to boost your metabolism, don’t eat after 8 pm.

We waste a lot of energy and exert too much anxiety trying to follow so many rules (that are questionably effective anyway). I’ve never been a successful dieter. My running and overall health improved by simplifying the ingredients in my meals and watching proportions. Y’all know I’m a big eater, so I’m constantly chasing the latter.

I’m glad to report that Hazel agrees with me. She promotes creating our own healthy pattern of eating so that we never have to diet again. How great does that sound? Her goal is to encourage us to cook simple, healthy dishes from scratch, maximize our health and prevent disease, through food. Her workout routines aren’t bad either!

So far, some favorite recipes from the Food Medic include strawberry cheesecake smoothie, summery puy lentil feta and mint salad, and my latest home cooked dinner, sweet potato chili nachos. YUM.

This healthy, hearty supper provides plenty for friends or leftovers.

Sweet Potato Chili Nachos

HEADS UP: My girl is British, so the measurements are different. I used a pound of meat, a cup of vegetable stock, a can of kidney beans and a can of diced tomatoes.

It takes two pans for the sweet potatoes. TIP: make sure you slice the sweet potatoes thin enough. Mine came out a little under crisp.

Saute other ingredients for about 20 minutes until thick.

Voila! So easy. So much food.

She suggests serving the nachos with avocado, plain greek yogurt (in place of sour cream), salsa or mozzarella cheese. I added homemade guac. Recipe is below.

Helen’s Homemade Guacamole

Mix together in a medium sized bowl:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 small, ripe tomato or half of a large, ripe tomato
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 1 small handful of cilantro, chopped (or tear with hands)
• 1 – 2 limes (by taste)
• salt, pepper to taste

TIP: I try to leave the avocado a little chunky.

Hope you’ll check out The Food Medic. She’s catching fire. Let me know how the nachos turn out. ENJOY!

H//