Rachael Zarda

In honor of Cinco de Mayo being just around the corner, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes with you. I’m almost always in the mood for Mexican food and there’s an endless amount of amazing Mexican restaurants in Kansas City to get my fix. Going out for Mexican usually means eating my weight in queso and washing it down with a marg (or five if it’s Fridayyy), so I like to have a few healthy dishes on hand I can make at home and whip up whenever I’m in the mood.

These tostadas are boyfriend AND dad approved. They’re often both skeptics of my “let’s try a healthier version!” antics. I’ll be honest, sometimes my recipe experiements turn out less than edible, but this is not one of them. You won’t be disappointed in this super simple, good-for-you recipe that tastes just as, if not better, than the real thing.

PLANTAIN TOSTADAS
Yields: 6

Ingredients
For the plantain tostadas:
2 yellow plantains
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp salt

For the chickpeas:
15oz can of chickpeas
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:
Guacamole
Red onion, chopped
Feta cheese, crumbled
Lime slices
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Trader Joe’s cilantro lime dressing (optional)

Instructions
For the chickpeas (you can make these ahead of time):
Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse. Pat dry with a towel.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, toss chickpeas with olive oil and salt.
Place in oven for at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until crunchy.
Remove from oven and toss with 1/4 tsp cayenne powder.

For the plantain tostadas:
Cut the plantains into roughly 2 inch pieces and place into a food processor with the coconut oil and salt. Puree until smooth.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly distribute the plantain mixture into 6 tostadas on the baking sheet.
Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or so, flipping half way through.

Add toppings:
Spread thick layer of guacamole onto each tostada and sprinkle with spicy chickpeas.
You can add whatever you want after this! I love red onion, feta cheese, cilantro, and a drizzle of Trader Joe’s cilantro lime dressing.