Shaping Up Chips and Salsa

Since beginning P90X, Bill and I have overhauled the way we eat. Now don't be mistaken. We're not on "diets," per se. That term seems so temporary, as if you're cutting back for a period of time to reach a stated goal. For us, this isn't about seeing certain numbers on the scale. Instead, it's about being able to finish this program without feeling like we want to die.

I'd say what we're experiencing is more of an awakening of sorts. An opening of our eyes to lighter, fresher, better-for-you foods. We cut out tons of fats and sugars and introduced way more fruits and veggies. And while we'll probably be a bit less strict about it when our 13 weeks of P90X is up, I think this is a lifestyle we've adopted now and a habit that will be (I hope) hard to break.

While it really has gotten easier to curb cravings after a while, every few days we still find ourselves engaged in a self-pity fest over the foods we miss the most. For Bill, it's simply pizza. For me ... well, it's a lot of things. But sitting on the patio at a Mexican restaurant indulging in chips and salsa and margaritas ranks right up there.

The salsa on its own isn't the problem. It's those fried tortilla chips and those sugary sweet, calorie-loaded cocktails. I'm still working on finding the right "skinny" version of my favorite cocktail, but at least I've perfected a better-for-you version of the best snack on the planet. All it took was a leftover package of some flour tortillas, some cooking spray, a sprinkling of salt, and a very hot oven. Oh, and the best salsa recipe ever.

Bill and I polished off an entire platter of these baked chips and roasted salsa sitting on our backyard patio this afternoon (sans margaritas, unfortunately).

Baked Tortilla Chips and Roasted Salsa
Ingredients:
For Chips
4 to 6 small or medium flour tortillas
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons salt

For Salsa
2 Roma tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Preheat broiler and line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic cloves on prepared sheet. Roast 16 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray. Using a pizza cutter, slice tortillas into wedges. Place wedges evenly apart on prepared baking sheet. Spray liberally with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, turning once or twice for even browning. Remove from oven when chips are golden and crisp.

Remove skin from tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic. In a small food processor, pulse jalapeno and garlic. Add tomatoes and pulse until evenly broken, about 5 or 6 times. Place mixture in small bowl and stir in onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. You'll be tempted to eat it with a spoon, but I promise it's tastier with the chips. Enjoy!

Oh, and in case you're curious, each 1/4 cup serving of salsa has about 23 calories. And depending on the type of tortillas you choose, 8 chips will have approximately 110 calories.