Healthy Red Bean & Avocado Tostadas with Creamy Cilantro Sauce

So I've been making a lot of delicious sweet treats lately, and I really felt the need for a change of pace toward a healthier dish. These tostadas fit the bill perfectly! Everything in them contains heart-healthy whole grains, filling protein, and good-for-you flavors!

I have very little experience making sauces, so I was thrilled to find how easy this tangy cilantro sauce was. *Bonus: Today, I cut the cilantro from my very own garden!!* With only four ingredients, it's tough to screw this sauce up! :) I used light sour cream to make mine; you can easily substitute Greek yogurt or plain yogurt.

The red peppers in this recipe lend a slight sweetness and a delightful crunch to the overall bite, and baking the corn tortillas rather than frying them helps to keep the calorie count down!

I usually prefer to use black beans for dishes like this, but the red beans were delicious and filling! This is a loose recipe, and because I was cooking for myself, I only made two tostadas. As always, feel free to mix and match as you please :)

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas (I used two)
• Avocado (I used one avocado)
• Red bell pepper, cut into small slices (I used half of a large pepper)
• Red beans (you may substitute black beans)
• Shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Mexican Blend--whatever)
• Cilantro (a handful--adjust  to fit your tastes)
• Taco seasoning
• 1/3 cup Light sour cream (you may substitute Greek or plain yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste (I also used Cayenne pepper)
• Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly coat both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray. Bake for 4-5 minutes on each side. Switch oven to broil. Evenly divide the cheese over the tortillas and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 2-ish minutes (Watch closely to avoid burning your tostadas!). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, mash avocado with some salt and taco seasoning until it resembles guacamole. Set aside. Heat some olive oil in a small frying pan and add the sliced red bell pepper, some taco seasoning, and a bit of Cayenne pepper for a little heat. Saute for about 2-4 minutes.

For the sauce:
In a food processor or blender, puree the cilantro, sour cream/ yogurt, garlic, and salt, adjusting the seasoning with more cilantro/salt/yogurt to your tastes.

To assemble: 
Top the crispy tortillas with beans, avocado, bell peppers, and a little cheese. Drizzle with cilantro sauce.

 

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