Healthy Game Day Snacks: Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip #gamedayfood #homegating #healthyappetizer #meatless #vegfriendly

Football preseason is underway...and the regular season starts next month. If you're like my crew, that means it's also time for some amazing game day FOOD!! Healthy and delicious snacks are definitely a key component of our Houston Texans games. Today, I'm sharing a delicious healthy hot dip. My Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip is bursting with flavor...but it's lower in fat and calories. It features spicy meatless chorizo crumbles, a quick homemade queso, fiber-rich beans, and lowfat shredded cheese. Once this heart dip is baked, it's topped with pico de gallo and diced avocado. It has all your favorite nacho flavors that's layered, cooked, and served in a cast iron skillet.

Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients (makes approx. 5 1/2-cup servings):

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup diced purple onion
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 TBS flour
• 1 TBS chili powder
• 2/3 cup vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1 cup meatless chorizo [NOTE: I use thawed MorningStar Farms Chorizo Crumbles]
• 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
• 2 cups lowfat shredded Colby Jack cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 small avocado, diced 

For the pico de gallo:

• Two Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup diced purple onion
• 1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice from one lime
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Step 1: Up to six hours ahead, make the pico de gallo. Add the Roma tomato, red and green onions, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and salt & pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate until it's time to garnish the dip.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 375° F. Make the dip base. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over Med-High heat. Add purple onion and jalapeno. Cook until onion is translucent -- approximately 3-4 minutes. Add flour and chili powder, and stir to combine. Cook mixture -- stirring constantly -- for 1-2 minutes; add vegetable broth and whisk to incorporate until the mixture thickens. Then stir in the crumbled meatless chorizo, pinto beans, 1 cup lowfat shredded cheese, and milk. 

Step 3: Cook -- stirring constantly -- until all ingredients are incorporated and the cheese is completely melted into the dip base. Sprinkle the remaining cup of lowfat shredded cheese on top of the dip base.

Step 4: Bake the dip in the skillet until the cheese on top is melted and it's bubbly around the edges. Remove skillet from the oven and let cool for five minutes. Before serving, spoon the chilled pico de gallo in the middle of the skillet. Then evenly distribute the avocado around the pico de gallo. Serve the dip with plenty of healthy dippers and enjoy!

Y'all...this dip is a touchdown! It's cheesy, spicy, and hearty. I serve with a variety of dippers: tortilla chips, protein tortilla chips for those eating fewer carbs, and veggie dippers like celery and halved mini peppers. The meatless chorizo provides spicy flavor and a meaty texture...you'll never miss the meat in this dish! My Dad is a meat lover who doesn't typically eat plant-based protein, and he could not tell any difference in this dip. Dad-approved healthy snacks...that's a win, folks!

I hope you'll give this Vegetarian Skillet Nacho Dip a try for your at-home game day festivities this football season. I promise that everyone will love its spicy taste! I decorated the handle of my skillet with a Houston Texans logo bow on the handle...it's a simple, fun touch to represent the home team. Whatever team your family and friends follow, you can similarly decorate your skillet with their logo or colors. Another festive touch is to serve your dip with tortilla chips in your team's colors. However you choose to display this hearty dip, the key is to have fun. Isn't that what game day is all about?