Your Dietitian: Potato nachos for Super Bowl Sunday

This year, instead of your usual Super Bowl supper, why not try something super fun to eat: potato nachos. Topped with hot melty cheese, beans, tomatoes and other great tasting toppings, this dish is a proven winner. It's fast and easy to make — for dinner on any day, not just on Super Bowl Sunday. Simply layer your toppings, bake on a sheet pan and serve — right on the pan. Oven-roasted potato slices (or wedges) make these nachos healthier than nachos made with refined corn chips. Corn chips are processed corn with the healthy germ and outer bran portion removed. Unfortunately, potatoes have a bad reputation due to their carbohydrate content. People forget that fresh whole potatoes are a vegetable — an unprocessed food rich in many nutrients. Besides being super fun to eat and delicious, oven roasted potato nachos deliver numerous health benefits. Here are a just a few. Fiber Potato nachos are rich in fiber — from the oven roasted potatoes, beans and other toppings such as corn and avocado. Potatoes are a surprisingly good source of fiber. A medium (3-inch diameter) baked potato with the skin contains 4 grams of fiber. A half-cup of black or pinto beans on top adds a whopping 8 more grams of fiber. Corn (with 4 more grams of fiber per half cup) or avocado (with about 5 grams of fiber per half an avocado) makes potato nachos especially fiber-rich. Fiber is incredibly important for a strong immune system. It is the food that feeds the beneficial bacteria in our colon — where most of our immune system lies. Most Americans get less than half the recommended amount of fiber (about 12 grams versus 35 grams of fiber). High intakes of fiber also help prevent diverticulosis, reduce the risk of colon cancer and, of course, alleviate or prevent constipation. And lastly, high-fiber foods help prevent blood-sugar spikes after meals, reducing its harmful effects. This is especially important for persons with diabetes. Vitamin C Most people think of citrus fruit when it comes to vitamin C. But did you know that a large baked potato contains as much vitamin C as half a grapefruit? Vitamin C strengthens our immune system, improves wound healing and helps build new collagen in joints to reduce the progression of osteoarthritis. Plus, it keeps our gums healthy to help prevent tooth loss. Potassium Oven-roasted potatoes are one of the richest sources of potassium. A medium baked potato contains about 926 milligrams (mg) of potassium — which is more potassium than two medium bananas (with 422 mg per banana). Topping nachos with diced avocado adds more potassium. Just one-half of a medium avocado delivers 488 mg of potassium — and it tastes simply delicious. It is estimated that more than 95 percent of Americans don't get the recommended daily intake of potassium. Potassium can blunt the effects of high sodium (salt) intake and help lower blood pressure. The more potassium-rich foods eaten, the more sodium and water our kidneys excrete. This helps prevent water retention and lower blood pressure. Preventing high blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes, and heart and kidney diseases. Quick and easy Potato nachos are a simple sheet pan supper. They're easy to make and fun to eat. It's perfect for a Super Bowl Sunday supper or any supper when you want something fun and delicious to eat. Here are three ways to make quick oven-roasted potato nachos. Adding cooked ground beef (or ground turkey) or cooked chicken atop the nachos adds more protein. This changes it from a snack to a complete meal. Feel free to add or subtract toppings to make your own personalized version. Quick potato nachos 1 ½ pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled and cut into ½-inch wedges or new red skin potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (sweet potatoes, a healthier choice, are also delicious!) 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon taco seasoning ½ teaspoon garlic powder Suggested toppings: 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese 1/3 (to 1/2) cup canned black (or pinto) beans, drained and rinsed ¼ cup each: diced tomatoes, sliced green onions ¼ cup sliced black olives, optional 3 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles, optional Other delicious toppings: ½ pound cooked lean ground beef (or ground turkey) or diced chicken breast, cooked with about ½ packet taco seasoning (I use McCormick brand seasoning) ½ cup corn ½ avocado, diced Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine potato wedges with oil, taco seasoning and garlic powder. Toss to coat evenly. Spread potato wedges in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Be sure not to crowd potatoes together. Bake until crisp and brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Top hot potatoes with cheese and desired toppings (except avocado). (I return potatoes to oven for five minutes to melt cheese. Then, if using, top with diced avocado or serve sliced avocado or guacamole on the side.) Makes: 4 servings SOURCE: www.allrecipes.com Roasted potato nachos 2 pounds mini red potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch slices 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon paprika, optional Toppings: 1 cup canned black (or pinto) beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and drained very well in a mesh strainer 2/3 cup salsa 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese Additional toppings: Sliced jalapeño pepper Diced avocado Diced red onion or scallions Cilantro Greek yogurt or low-fat sour cream Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss sliced potatoes with oil, salt and paprika until evenly coated. Spread potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheets, leaving room between potato slices. Bake until fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Thaw frozen spinach in the microwave. Drain in a mesh strainer, pressing out all the liquid. You don't want any remaining liquid. Set aside. Combine potatoes onto one baking sheet so there is not room between potatoes. Use a large (18x13-inch) rimmed baking sheet. Top potatoes with beans, spinach, salsa and cheese. If using jalapeño pepper, add it now. Bake topped nachos until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Top with your choice of additional toppings, such as avocado, and serve immediately. Makes: 6 servings SOURCE: www.karalydon.com Cheesy BBQ beef and oven fries 4 small baking potatoes (about 1 ¼ pound), cut lengthwise into ½-inch wedges 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt 1 pound lean ground beef 1 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup frozen corn 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce ½ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potato wedges with olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread potatoes in a single layer onto a 15x10x1-inch rimmed baking sheet pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook ground beef in a skillet with bell pepper, breaking up meat into crumbles. Drain off fat. Stir in corn and BBQ sauce. Serve meat mixture over oven-roasted potatoes. Sprinkle hot mixture with cheese. Serve immediately. Nutrition note: Add 1 cup of drained and rinsed black or pinto beans to ground beef mixture to increase fiber. (May reduce beef to ¾ pound of meat.) Makes: 4 servings. SOURCE: Council for Women's Nutrition Solutions and the National Cattleman's Beef Association with modification by Phyllis Molnar