To each era its dip. Today it's the inescapable chile con queso, found not only in such expected locales as Tex-Mex restaurants but in movie theaters, ballparks, and service stations. Obviously there's a reason for chile con queso's popularity that goes beyond the comfort factor. It's the swashbuckling duel that takes place between the hot green chiles and the soothing melted cheeses. Put this flavor punch on chips, and you've created a crispy mini pizza with a Southwestern accent. The problem with chile con queso is the high fat content, and same goes for the fried chips that usually accompany the dip. So we set out to change all that by creating a light chile con queso based on the classic recipe that appears on some cans of diced tomatoes and chiles. Our lightened version cuts the fat by two-thirds -- reason enough to shout olé! We also include instructions for baking your own low-fat tortilla chips and a healthy nacho recipe that has beans and all the fixings for a complete meal.

May you dip to your heart's content.

Before | After

Serving size
1/4 cup | 1/4 cup

Calories per Serving
88 | 63

Fat
6g | 1.7g

Percent of total calories
61 | 24

A Nacho Above
Homemade corn chips are a snap to make and, in our opinion, much better than the commercial baked varieties. Simply stack corn or flour tortillas and cut into wedges. Then place cut tortillas on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

To the Rescue. Do you have a favorite recipe that needs a healthy makeover? Maybe we can lighten it up. Send it to us, along with your reasons for wanting a healthier version and any interesting stories or traditions about the recipe. Include your name, address, and daytime phone number with the recipe, and send it to CL_Web@timeinc.com with "Lighten Up" in the subject line. We can't lighten every recipe we receive, but if we adapt yours, we'll send you a Cooking Light cookbook. We reserve the right to edit all recipes. All recipes submitted become the property of Cooking Light and may be republished and used for any purpose.