olive Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Say hello to your new best friend: HEALTHY nachos!!!! This delicious and healthy sweet potato nachos recipe contains 47.9 grams of protein and 6.4 grams of fiber in just one serving! These sweet potato nachos are healthy, clean, and easily made paleo and vegan, too! There’s just something about nachos, ya know? They're great for big groups or for one. They're super versatile. They're crunchy. And savory. And all the different textures are so good! Nachos are the best. Especially when they're healthy! Especially when that food is amazingly delicious and good for you. I love it when that happens. Crisp, cheesy, spicy, fresh, and oh-so-satisfying. Trust me, these sweet potato nachos are proof that nachos can be part of a well-balanced diet. And at least for me, being able to have nachos as much as I want and not feel like I’m back in college, microwaving Cool Ranch Doritos, topping them with shredded cheddar cheese, and calling them “nachos” is a big deal. You did that too, right? Okay, cool. HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO NACHOS Now, let’s make some nachos. Are you nervous? You’re not sure you’re going to love these loaded sweet potato nachos as much as you love the regular potato chip nachos? You will, trust me! They are incredible. And so so so tasty. Also, easy to make. So you’ve got no reason to be nervous, really. Here’s what you have to do: start by making sweet potato chips (step by step instruction for how to make sweet potato chips can be found if you scroll down); while the sweet potato chips are in the oven, combine the spices for the chicken; then season the chicken with the spices blend; cook the chicken and shred it; assemble the sweet potato nachos in a casserole dish; place in the oven for 6-8 minutes; remove from the oven, add the rest of the toppings. Okay, now we’re good. You know the main steps for these potato nachos. It’s time to talk why these sweet potato nachos are healthy nachos because so far all you know is that sweet potato chips and some toppings are involved. MAKING NACHOS HEALTHY So, what makes these sweet potato nachos good for you? Let’s count the ways… sweet potato chips instead of processed, highly salted tortilla chips; all whole, real foods, and simple ingredients; high in protein; high in fiber. All in all, these sweet potato nachos are a great healthy replacement for potato nachos AND what you should totes make for any football game or — heck — any ol’ day. Or, if you don’t watch football, insert your fave at-home activity [here] and then EAT THESE HEALTHY NACHOS. Seriously. WHY I LOVE SWEET POTATOES (VERSUS TORTILLA CHIPS!) You know I love sweet potato but do you know why I love them so much? First of all, I love them because they are versatile – they are sweet but they work in savory dishes too. But also taste amazing in desserts. Hello, sweet potato pie! Second of all, sweet potato healthy recipes are easy. Just look at these sweet potato nachos. Compared to other potato nachos recipes, they are healthy and yummy. And that’s thanks to our beloved sweet potatoes. And I bet you know sweet potatoes are good for you. Why are sweet potatoes good for you? Well, because they contain: minerals – magnesium, selenium, and iron; calcium; vitamins – vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6; fiber; Lastly, sweet potatoes are DELICIOUS. HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO CHIPS I’ve been wanting to make sweet potato chips for days. Once I finally was able to figure out the best technique for how to make sweet potato chips in the oven, I just had to make nachos. To make the sweet potato chips, all you have to do is follow these simple steps: preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper; slice the sweet potatoes very thinly using either a mandolin or a sharp knife; in a large bowl, add the sliced sweet potatoes, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper and toss to coat evenly; place the slices on the baking sheet, taking care not to overcrowd and then place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 6-8 minutes, or until crisp. Watch them to make sure they don’t burn – it can happen quickly. Nachos are one of those foods that I could eat all day. All day, every day for realz. And since these sweet potato nachos are healthy I can actually do that without feeling guilty. Happy dance. THE BEST SWEET POTATO NACHO TOPPINGS The best thing about these sweet potato nachos is that you can use any nacho toppings you want. As long as they are healthy, of course. I love mine with chicken and cheese and topped with fresh cilantro, diced red onion, and diced avocado. OH and you have to have to HAVE TO make my 10-minute salsa verde recipe with these nachos. SWEET POTATO NACHOS: GLUTEN FREE, PALEO AND VEGAN OPTIONS Ok, what do we know about these sweet potato nachos so far? We know they are healthy and delicious, right? YES. Wondering how to make these sweet potato nachos vegan? It’s easy! You can also easily make them paleo friendly. They already are gluten-free so you don’t have to worry about making gluten-free sweet potato chips and the choosing gluten-free toppings. How to make sweet potato nachos vegan To make sweet potato nachos vegan, you really have just 2 major ingredients that need to be removed: the cheese and the chicken. You can simply… replace the chicken with a vegan-friendly topping like black beans or kidney beans; use a vegan Mexican cheese or vegan sour cream instead of the jack cheese. You’ll be able to enjoy all the flavors of the veggies and the protein from the beans and vegan cheese. How to make sweet potato nachos paleo To make paleo sweet potato nachos, just don’t add any cheese, since dairy isn’t something often consumed in a paleo diet. HOW TO REHEAT SWEET POTATO NACHOS Not sure you’re going to reach this point. Because it seems like they disappear from the table pretty fast. Or that always seems to be the case whenever I make them. But, let’s just say you need to know how to reheat nachos so here’s how: preheat the oven to 300 degrees F; place the nachos on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; place the baking sheet in the oven for approximately 5 minutes or until the nachos and the nachos toppings are heated through; remove from the oven and allow them to cool a bit before serving. 3 MORE SWEET POTATO SNACKS Aside from nachos, you can make other yummy and healthy sweet potato snacks. To prove my love for sweet potatoes is real and also to prove that making sweet potato healthy snacks is easy, I have more sweet potato recipes for you. SWEET POTATO SOFT PRETZEL BITES (WITH SWEET POTATO DOUGH!) These Sweet Potato Soft Pretzel Bites (with Sweet Potato Dough!) are packed with nutrients and healthy. They are also low-carb compared to regular pretzel bites thanks to sweet potato dough. These sweet potato pretzel bites are also delicious and perfect for dipping them in sauce and enjoying their flavors. Get the recipe. SWEET POTATO HUMMUS | VEGAN, GF AND PALEO! This Sweet Potato Hummus | Vegan, GF and Paleo! Is proof that making healthy dishes is very easy. And quick – only 10 minutes! All I did for making this recipe was to combine my love for the best dip ever aka hummus with my love for sweet potatoes. And the most amazing sweet potato hummus recipe was born. Get the recipe. SWEET POTATO SKINS Turning sweet potato dishes that are not very healthy traditionally into sweet potato healthy dishes is also easy. Take my Sweet Potato Skins for example. Before my clean eating journey, I was making sweet potato skins with tons, cheese, and bacon. Nowadays, I use chicken breast, jack cheese, baby spinach, greek yogurt, and a few spices and condiments. The taste tho’? Absolutely divine. Get the recipe. Sweet Potato Tots Sweet Potato Nachos This delicious, healthy, and paleo sweet potato nachos recipe contains 47.9 grams of protein and 6.4 grams of fiber in just one serving! Plus it's so delicious, you won't even believe it! 3 large sweet potatoes (evenly sized, sliced very finely)1 tbsp olive oil1/4 - 1/2 tsp sea salt1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp sea salt1/2 tsp ground black pepper1/2 tsp garlic powder1/2 tsp paprika1/4 tsp cayenne pepper2 tbsp fresh cilantro, (chopped)2 tbsp red onions, (diced)1/4 cup jack cheese, (grated)1/2 cup black olives, (sliced)1/2 avocado, (diced)10-minute salsa verde, (to drizzle over top) To make the sweet potato chips, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.Slice the sweet potatoes very thinly using either a mandolin or a sharp knife.In a large bowl, add the sliced sweet potatoes, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper and toss to coat evenly.Place the slices on the baking sheet, taking care not to overcrowd and then place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 6-8 minutes, or until crisp. Watch them to make sure they don’t burn - it can happen quickly.While the potatoes are in the oven, make a season blend for the chicken by combining the ground cumin, sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.Season the chicken with the blend on all sides.Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.Once hot, add the chicken and cook, flipping occasionally, until well-browned, and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and allow to cool some before shredding with a fork when cool enough to handle.To assemble the nachos, set the oven to 350 degrees F and line a layer of the crispy sweet potato chips across the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle half the jack cheese, shredded chicken, and sliced olives, and then repeat with the remaining ingredients in a second layer.Place uncovered into the oven to bake until the cheese has melted, about 6-8 minutes.To serve, I like to top with fresh cilantro, diced red onion, diced avocado, and then drizzle with my 10 minute salsa verde (you can get the recipe link here). Clean Eating, Dinner, gluten free, SnackEasysweet potato chip nachos, sweet potato nachos, sweet potato nachos vegan This post contains affiliate links for products I use frequently and highly recommend.