Cheesy Crawfish Nachos

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb Louisiana crawfish tails
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 tsp each red pepper, black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (8 oz) pkg of each shredded cheeses: Cheddar, Pepper Jack, and Colby Monterey Jack
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
• 1⁄2 c fresh parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 c green onions, sliced
• 1 (10-12 oz) bag of corn tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the saucepan on medium heat and melt butter.
2. Sauté onions, celery, and bell pepper for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and seasonings, and sauté 2 minutes longer. 
3. Stir in the mushroom and celery soups and the tomato sauce, until well mixed.
4. Simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Fold in the crawfish tails and simmer for another 5 minutes. 
7. Add the Pepper Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese, stirring until completely melted and heated through. 
8. Layer chips on an extra-large non-stick sheet pan, and top with the crawfish mixture, shredded Colby Monterey cheese blend, and sliced jalapenos.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. 
10. Garnish with fresh parsley and sliced green onions, and serve.

NUTRITION

HEALTHY SWAPS

• Lower fat: 510 kcal (20g fats, 6g saturated fats, 26mg cholesterol, 42g carbohydrates, 44g protein.) Substitute 3 Tbsp for butter. Choose “Baked” tortilla chips. Substitute 1 (8 oz) package of fat-free cream cheese & 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes for Pepper Jack cheese, and blend thoroughly. Choose “Reduced-Fat” cheese for Cheddar & Colby Monterey Jack Cheese. If you choose “low fat” or “fat-free” cheeses, It likely will not melt and have the same texture of this recipe. Optional: The amount of shredded cheese can be lowered to further reduce total fats.
• Lower carbohydrate: 752 kcal (49g fats, 15.5g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 5g sugar, 63g protein.) Substitute ¼ tsp xanthan gum and 1 cup each of sour cream and half and half in place of soups. Choose protein chips or other low-carb chips, or cucumber slices.
• Lower sodium: 784 kcal (55g fats, 744mg sodium, 38g carbohydrates, 40g protein.) Use unsalted butter. Use “No Salt Added” tomato sauce. Substitute Unsalted Cream of Mushroom & Unsalted Cream of Chicken for the soups. Substitute 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese & 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes for the pepper jack cheese. Use “Lightly Salted” tortilla chips. Optional: The amount of shredded cheese can be lowered to further reduce the sodium. 
• Dairy-free: 767 kcal (47g fats, 53g carbohydrates, 36g protein.) Substitute coconut oil for butter. Add 3 Tbsp flour. Substitute vegan sour cream and cream cheese for the soups. Use vegan cheese.
• Gluten-free: 829 kcal (56g fats, 39g carbohydrates, 45g protein.) If gluten-free cream of mushroom, and cream of celery soups are unavailable, then substitute 1 cup each of half and half and Light sour cream. Add 3 Tbsp Tapioca flour to the butter.