Cinco De Mayo- Tostada Recipe

I love Mexican food SOO much!!

I will gladly accept the beans and rice vegan stereotype! When you can spice up your rice and mash up your beans into a delicious Mexican dish, who wouldn’t?!

Since visiting an authentic Mexican restaurant a month or so ago, my tastebuds have fallen in love with Tostadas!
I don’t like to do wheat/gluten whenever possible, especially when it comes to the heavy wraps they use for burritos etc. It starts to feel like glue in my mouth, and that just gets me thinking about what it is doing to my digestive tract and I lose my appetite rather quick!

So instead I opt for these open face bean, salsa & guac smothered corn rounds that leaving me feeling satisfied, but not gluttonized.

Having a strong craving for these a week ago I found a recipe I could work with and made them at home. They were way cheaper and in my possibly biased opinion, way more delicious than in the restaurant. Confession: I love chimichurri sauce.

Anyhow, without further babble, here is my tasty recipe! Please try it, enjoy and then talk about it!

p.s. Side note: if you are like most people and have a concern/issue with beans and the inevitable gas they cause here are a few tips:

1. Use dried beans and soak them overnight before cooking and using them. This will help remove some of the gas from the beans

2. Chew thoroughly. Gas in the system is caused by food not being broken down properly causing fermentation which releases gases. Chew your beans until they are a paste in your mouth. This should help.

3. Apple cider vinegar. I swear this stuff is magical, if you don’t believe in magic, just have a swig. 1 tbsp prior to eating will help with the digestion process and help to eliminate gas/bloating with meals/beans.

 Vegan Tostadas

Ingredients:

4 Tostadas – (Organic corn tostadas are recommended as corn is one of the most GMO foods out there)

1 can black beans

1 lb of mushrooms

½ cup of water

½ large onion diced

1 clove chopped garlic

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1/3 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

1 avocado – diced

1 tomato- diced

Salsa- homemade or store bought

Chimichurri- homemade or storebought (I used store bought for ease and time saving)

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil on medium heat, once melted add the diced onions and garlic, sautee until clear. Approx 5-6 mins.
2. Add cumin, chili powder & salt, stir
3. In separate pan melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil on med heat. Once melted add mushrooms and sautee until tender.
4. Add beans and ¼ cup of water, continue to cook for about 5 more minutes- or until beans are soft.
5. Transfer bean mixture into a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork.
6. If your tostadas are pre-cooked put them into the oven at 400 degrees for no longer than 5 minutes just to warm them up. IF they are not pre-cooked follow directions on packaging
7. Top the tostadas with bean mixture then mushrooms.
8. Add avocado, tomatoes, salsa, chimichurri and any other yummy goodness you see fit.
9. Serve, eat & ENJOY every last delicious mouthful!

Love, light & Tostadas!

JaNine <3