If you blinked, you missed it…but yesterday, I was very, very briefly shown on the Dr. Oz show in a segment for his Healthy Recipe Challenge.
In case you missed it on my Facebook page, I was contacted by the producers of the Dr. Oz show on Friday and asked if I’d be willing to submit a “healthier version of a California-style nacho recipe”. They were assigning other food bloggers a popular dish from the state where they lived and would choose three finalists to actually appear on the show with Dr. Oz himself.
Super exciting, right?!
So, I agreed to submit a recipe, and got to work ASAP, as they needed my video submission in 48 hours! My husband was out of town, and I was entirely alone with both of my young kids. Worst possible timing ever. But after the kids were asleep, I managed to whip up some seriously AMAZING Tilapia Nachos! I’m not gonna lie…these nachos were unbelievably good.
Though the footage I was submitting was pretty shotty, I was quite proud of the nachos themselves. And although I ended up not being chosen as one of three finalists (boo!), the producers did contact me to let me know that clips from my video submission were chosen to appear on today’s show.
Well, after watching the show today, it turns out that just a mere two-word phrase of my entire video submission actually made it to the show (“sunny California!”), and none of the other 30-45 minutes of footage that I worked so hard making was shown.
What’s funny is that they never even asked for my actual recipe…they just wanted the footage of me making it, plating it, and eating it. So, who knows what they were looking for in order to make it as a finalist, But it was a fun experience, and I got to eat these incredible nachos at 1 am while watching Sex and the City reruns.
But no need to let this amazing, healthy nachos recipe go to waste! So, here it is…as “not” seen on the Dr. Oz show…..my California Style Tilapia Nachos Recipe! Baked tortilla chips, covered in cheese, including a bit of cotija cheese (yum!), and topped with lime-marinated tilapia, fresh cabbage, black beans, red onions, cilantro, salsa verde, and a chipotle cream sauce that is to die for. These are a MUST make, folks.
California-Style Tilapia Nachos Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz fresh tilapia
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 oz reduced fat baked tortilla chips - about 28 chips
- ½ cup reduced fat Mexican cheese blend - shredded
- 1 oz Cojita cheese - crumbled
- 1 cup green cabbage - shredded
- ¼ cup cooked black beans - drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup salsa verde
- ½ red onion - diced
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped
- ⅓ cup plain - nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise - I used Vegenaise
- Juice from 2 limes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season tilapia fillets with salt and pepper. place in a shallow bowl and add olive oil and lime juice. Marinade for 2-3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375. Wrap the tilapia in aluminum foil, creating a pouch. Leave a small opening for steam to escape. Place wrapped tilapia onto a rimmed baking sheet, place in oven, and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through, and flakes easily with a fork.
- Make chipotle cream sauce by combining yogurt, mayonnaise, and chipotle in adobo sauce in a small bowl, and set aside.
- Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chips evenly spread on a baking sheet, and cover with both cheeses. Place under broiler to melt cheese, about 2- 3 minutes, or until cheese is melting and bubbly.
- Transfer chips to a serving platter. Top with cooked tilapia, salsa, beans, cabbage, cilantro, red onion, and chipotle cream sauce. Garnish with fresh lime slices.
