Dinner by The Fire 3 - Healthier Frito Pie

By Matthew Thompson for Eating Well Magazine

As a native of New England, I had never heard of Frito Pie until a Texas-born co-worker offered me some. And then…wow! As a fan of both salty, crunchy Fritos and spicy chili (my parents are from LA, so I'm not a totalYankee!), I couldn't get over this delicious dish.

For those not in the know, Frito Pie is essentially super chili. Traditionally, it's made by pouring a delicious, spicy chili over a bed of Fritos and then topping with a slathering of cheese (or Cheese Whiz). Yum!

But, as you might imagine, Frito Pie isn't exactly the world's healthiest meal. Fritos, while delicious, are packed with sodium (510 mg in a 3-ounce serving!) and saturated fat (4.5 g in a 3-ounce bag). Add to that the salt and fat in a serving of beef chili and globs of cheese on top and you've got a recipe for heart disease.

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Dinner by The Fire 2 - Roasted Corn & Chicken Soup

Photo and recipe by Joyce Bahorich

Roasted Corn and Chicken Soup

4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 can (15 ounces) yellow corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) white corn, drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 can  diced green chilis
1-1/2 pound cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
1-2 packets taco seasoning mix
4-6 cups chicken broth
½ cup instant brown rice
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Garnishes:  Southwestern tortilla chips, sour cream, cheddar cheese, fresh guacamole , more cilantro

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in large skillet until hot.  Add corn.  Cook until brown, about 10 minutes; stir often to prevent corn from burning.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, and chiles.  Cook and stir 5 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a large pot.  Stir in shredded chicken.  Add seasoning mix and toss to combine.  Stir in chicken broth , black beans, rice, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add more chicken broth and taco seasoning if soup needs more liquid; add cilantro.  Simmer 15 minutes.  

Makes 8 servings

Joyce Bahorich