Mediterranean Nachos

From Sarah Schiear, creator of Salt House

These nachos will score a touchdown at your game day party, and are tasty enough for both a victory celebration or a devastating blow; plus healthy enough to feel guilt-free. They have the same mix of creamy and crunchy as traditional nachos, but with healthier alternatives to tortilla chips and queso. Beets have been linked to lowering blood pressure; sweet potatoes are rich in potassium and vitamin A; and yogurts, olives, and avocado add healthy fats.

Ingredients

For root vegetable chips:

• 4 beets (mix of colors) and/or turnips
• 2 sweet potatoes
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt

For spiced chickpeas:

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For tahini-yogurt sauce:

• 1 cup unsweetened whole milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (1/4 of a lemon
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional ingredients:

• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata or Moroccan olives, pitted
• 2 scallions, green parts thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (mint, dill, cilantro, and/or parsley)
• Aleppo pepper and flaky sea salt, for finishing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Scrub root vegetables well and thinly slice (a mandoline is helpful for this step). Place sliced vegetables in a bowl; coat with olive oil and season well with salt. (Work with red and yellow beets separately so their color doesn’t bleed.)
2. Arrange sliced vegetables on a sheet pan with a rack placed over top; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and golden. Alternatively, you can place sliced vegetables directly on sheet pan and turn halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, make spiced chickpeas: Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft, around 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and spices and sauté until fragrant, another minute or so. Add chickpeas, water, and salt. Allow to stew until the chickpeas are soft and most of the water has evaporated, around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up chickpeas with a spoon. Stir in remaining olive oil.
4. To make the yogurt-tahini sauce, whisk all ingredients in a bowl or combine in a blender. (You’ll want the sauce to be slightly runny so that you can easily drizzle, so add a tablespoon or two of water if your yogurt is thick.)
5. To serve, arrange chips on a platter and top with chickpeas, yogurt sauce, and remaining ingredients.