Skinny Vegetarian Black Bean Tostada

Tostadas are usually very high fat and not exactly something you want to be eating if you are trying to lose the extra baby weight (Me!). I love the open-faced factor - It's like a mini Mexican pizza. Instead of frying the tortilla, I just warm it through. I used corn tortilla because they are much thicker and hold up better. I didn't want the liquid from the beans and eggs to break it down. I made these as a quick week night meal, but these would be perfect for breakfast as well. Since these are basically a just assemble-and-serve meal, you can customize it to fit your family's likes and dislikes. Topping ideas: shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, lime juice, tortilla chips, fresh diced red onion, etc. Customize it how ever you'd like. I really like the avocado and tomato only. The heat from the egg softens the avocado, making it buttery and delicious. My husband added cheese, salsa and tortilla chips to his. With the yolk being slightly runny, I punctured the egg and let the yolk run all over the top of the tostada. OOOHH it's so good. 

The corn tortilla I got were green chile flavored - which was awesome. They were really tasty and 90 calories each. I purchased them at the Fresh Market, I'm not sure if they are available in other stores. It was the first time I had seen them. If you prefer to scramble the eggs, that would be good too. I've made these same tostada a million times, in a million different ways, and scrambled eggs are awesome. 


Sorry for the foggy/poor lighting photos, these were taken while tropical storm Isaac was hitting South Florida.

Skinny Vegetarian Black Bean Tostada

Cook Time: < 25 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 8 tostadas

Ingredients:

Black Beans:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste
• jalapeno flavored hot sauce, to taste (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups cooked black beans (or canned beans, drained and rinsed)

Tostada:

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 haas avocado, diced
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
• oil spray
• 8 cage-free eggs, fried 
• fresh cilantro, minced

Heat the oil in a medium pot, over medium heat. Saute the onions, peppers and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, hot sauce, tomato paste and black beans to the pot. Stir well, reduce heat and cover. Allow the beans to simmer for about 10 minutes or longer. 

While the beans are simmering, prep the tostada ingredients. Begin frying the eggs (in the oil spray) and cooking to your desired done-ness. (I did mine medium, I like to poke the yolk and let it run into the beans and veg). Salt and pepper the egg if you'd like. 

Warm the tortilla in microwave or on the stove top. If you are using the microwave, about 10 seconds per tortilla. On the stove, just heat the tortilla on a dry skillet until they are warm and loose.

To assemble the tostadas - Place the corn tortilla on a plate, top with 1/3 cup of black bean mixture, 1/8 of the diced tomatos and avocado (add a bit of salt and pepper if you'd like) and top with the fried egg. Sprinkle with a little cilantro. 

Serve piping hot and have a few toppings on hand for customizing.

Nutritional Info per Tostada:
Calories: 270 ; Fat: 9.5g ; Carbohydrate: 29g ; Fiber: 7g ; Sugar: 1g ; Protein: 16g

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

I wanted to thank all of the guest bloggers from the past week for the awesome posts!! If you missed any of them - check my archive section from Week 7/15-7/22. Different recipes and topics such as Date Balls, Open Faced Baked Stuffed Peppers, Tips for Staying Motivated and Chardonnay Steamed Mussels. I'm starting to settle back in at home with the new babe and enjoying being a new parent. I definitely underestimated how time consuming a newborn can be! I've been eating up all of my freezer meals (that I prepped beforehand) and meals made by family members the past 2 weeks. I'm glad to start cooking again, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have to writing up the posts, taking pictures, etc. I'll try to post something new every couple days and hopefully over time get back to posting daily. Ok enough talk.... on to the recipe...




I got a bunch of great looking zucchinis at the farmers market and was looking to make a simple side to go with the main dish I had made. Since I had some ricotta and some jarred pasta sauce in the fridge just hanging out, I decided to put them to use. I wasn't sure whether to cut up the zucchini into slices and toss it with the tomato sauce and ricotta or make a stuffing out of it. It looks much prettier as a zucchini boat :) . Super simple to make and took practically no time to prep. I could totally eat these as a first course or as a side to any meal - they are just so tasty!!


I used Newman's Own Organic Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce as the sauce (my favorite go-to sauce). Any pasta sauce you enjoy will work in this dish. I chose to not cook the zucchini too much, because I like my veggies to have a bite to them. Baking the boat helps dry them out some - since zucchini can be quite wet. By omitting the bread crumbs this dish is gluten-free and low carb. Happy eating!

Baked Italian Zucchini Boats

Cook Time: 25 minutes @ 400F
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: 2


Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini, split in half horizontally (2 pieces)
• 2 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese, divided
• 2 tbsp jarred organic pasta sauce, divided
• 1 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs, divided
• 1 tbsp fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
• fresh parsley, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F and get a cookie sheet out to place the boats on.


Take the zucchini halves and scoop out the center some with a spoon. Just enough to make a "boat".

Spread 1 tbsp of ricotta and 1 tbsp of tomato sauce on each half.

Sprinkle the parsley, 1/2 tbsp of breadcrumbs and Parm on top of the tomato sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste and lightly spray with a little oil over the breadcrumb topping.


Bake at 400F for 25 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft. Serve warmed

Nutritional Info per serving:
Calories: 100 ; Fat: 3g ; Carbohydrate: 12.5g ; Fiber: 2.5 ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 5.5g 

Guest Post - Ellen's Asparagus Soup

Hello everyone, I'm Ellen from Ellenbcookery .   I'm so pleased to be guest posting again here at Laurie's cravings and happy you're back today.  Laurie and I would like to show you what was done with the leftover asparagus stems we didn't use in yesterday's stuffed pepper recipe .  Since the previous recipe only calls for the asparagus tips, I also made an asparagus soup with the remaining sticks.  It's really tasty and uses simple ingredients.  We hope you enjoy!


- EllenB 

Ingredients:

• 1 large organic onion, diced
• approx. 3-4 cups of water (add more if you'd like)
• 1 organic vegetable bouillon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 organic potatoes, quartered
• leftover asparagus spears
• splash of cream (optional)

Instructions:  


Saute the organic onion in a large pot until well cooked. 


Add water to pot,  an organic vegetable bouillon, salt & pepper.  


Once bouillon dissolves, add 4 quartered organic potatoes and cut up asparagus sticks.  


Once potatoes are cooked, puree with hand blender.  


Tasty on it's own, or you could add a splash of cream.

Italian Rainbow Chard & Bean Soup

Sometimes after a long day, a warm bowl of soup is what helps me unwind from the hustle and bustle. Even though it is summer time, I still enjoy warm meals every so often. This soup has a nice Italian flair, kind of like a minestrone, minus the pasta. Letting the Parm rind simmer in the soup, gives it amazing flavor and a nice saltiness (so try to not over salt). Rainbow Chard is a denser green(compared to spinach) that holds up well to the cooking process and maintains a nice bite, even when reheated. Also it is absolutely beautiful! Eat the rainbow... that's where you'll be sure to get a variety of nutrients that your body needs. By adding the chard leaves towards the end, you retain most of the nutrients. This soup has plenty of protein, veggies, and fiber. Definitely filling! 


I only used 2 of the 4 stems in this recipe because the stems have a bit of a woody taste and too much can give it an off taste. You could omit the stems completely if you'd like - but I  like to try to use everything (no waste). By substituting the chicken stock for veggie stock and omitting the Parm rind, this is an excellent Vegan main dish. This soup freezes well and makes for a great next day lunch. So no waste here :)

Italian Rainbow Chard & Bean Soup

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4-6 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 4 organic rainbow chard, stems (2, diced) and leaves (chopped into bite-sized pieces) separated 
• 1 1/2 tbsp italian seasoning
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-14.5oz can of organic diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tbsp organic tomato paste
• 2-15oz cans of organic pinto beans or cannelloni, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups of chicken or veggie stock
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• rind of Parmigiano Reggiano (any size)
• juice of 1 lemon

• fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (optional)

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and 2 of the rainbow chard stems only (add more if you'd like, but I find it makes the soup a bit too woody). Saute for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the rest of the ingredient except the rainbow chard leaves and the lemon. Raise the heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally. Allow the soup to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.


Then add the rainbow chard leaves, stir well into the soup. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the juice of the lemon, stir well. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as necessary (more salt or pepper).


Serve piping hot with crusty bread for sopping up the soup. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Nutritional Info per Serving (assuming this makes 4):
Calories: 255 ; Fat: 2g ; Carbohydrate: 46g ; Fiber: 15g ; Sugar: 7g ; Protein: 13g 

Veggie Frittata

Looking for a quick, inexpensive meal? Why not make a frittata. They are the perfect vehicle to use up whatever extra veggies you may have on had. Great as a brunch main dish or a quick dinner, this can an easy go-to meal. No need to go out and buy anything special, this is meant to use up what you have in your pantry and fridge. Also if you are a vegetarian, this frittata is filling and has a meaty texture (thanks to the mushrooms). Meatless Monday anyone?

Adding a small splash of chili oil give this frittata an extra something. Not really spicy, but if you prefer it to be spicy, add a little bit more. The cheese and parsley is optional, but I prefer a little freshness on top. 

Vegetable Frittata

Cook Time: <20 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp of olive oil
• 1/2 of a large onion, diced
• 1/2 of a large bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4lb of cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
• chili oil to taste (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 eggs, beaten
• fresh parsley, minced (optional)
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. 


Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. 


Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions have softened. Add the mushrooms, thyme, chili oil, and salt & pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. 


Then pour the eggs into the pan and swirl the egg mixture with veggies.


Transfer the pan into the oven and cook for about 8 minutes or until the frittata is set. Slice into 4 wedges and top with parsley and cheese (optional). Serve immediately.

Skillet Cajun Hash

I love spice in my food, as you can tell by my recipes. This meal is no different. Giving a simple potato hash a Cajun flare, makes for an easy 1 pan meal. It's full of flavor and easy to put together. Basically you cut up a bunch of veggies and stir often. Simple enough. You want to make sure the onions and peppers are super soft and the potatoes have a small bite to them. There is no need to boil the potatoes before hand, just make sure to dice the potatoes into bite sized pieces and the steam from covering the pan will cook them through. Serve for brunch, dinner or as the perfect late night meal (especially if you've had a couple drinks). 

If you prefer to reduce or omit the spice, the hash will still be just as tasty. Also you can add more or less veggies if you'd like. This serves 4 as a side dish or 2 as a meal. This recipe can easily be doubled or halved. 

Skillet Cajun Hash

Cook Time: <30 mins
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4 (1/2 cup) servings or 2 very hungry adults 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4lb red potatoes, diced (don't peel)
• 1/2 a large onion, diced
• 1/2 a large bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 


Add the diced potatoes and let cook for about 3 minutes. Begin dicing your onions and peppers, then add to skillet. Stir well and add the remaining ingredients. 


Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Once the hash has gotten some color, turn down the heat to low and cover for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked to your desired consistency. Make sure to stir often, to prevent burning. 


Once the hash is cooked, check to see if it needs any more salt or seasonings. Transfer to a plate and serve warm. I love to top mine with a fried egg and a little fresh parsley. 

Roasted Summer Squash

Now that it is getting much warmer, fresh produce is in abundance! I went to the farmer's market and got some lovely local summer squash, super inexpensive. My favorite way to eat my veggies is roasted - a little seasoning and let them come to life on their own. I love to taste my food, not mask it. It is a very simple recipe with ingredients most people have on hand. 

Roasted Summer Squash

Cook Time: <30 mins @ 425F
Prep Time: <10 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

• 3-4 large summer squash, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 425F. In a large bowl toss the squash with the rest of the ingredients. Coat well with the oil and spices. Place in the oven for about 25-30 mins. Stir the squash half way through the cooking process. Try not to over cook, as it can dry out. Serve immediately.

Colorful Raw Kale Salad

This is my go-to salad to bring to a picnic or as a side dish to any meal.  It keeps for days in the refrigerator and actually improves in flavor over time. It can be assembled in less than 10 minutes and even the clean up is easy. Since there is no cooking involved, anyone can make it. Kids can help by tearing the kale into small pieces, making the dressing and tossing the whole thing together. Also this salad can be  halved or doubled easily.

Refreshing, crunchy and tangy, it's perfect for a warm summer day.

Crazy Colorful Raw Kale Salad

Cook Time: 0

Prep Time: < 10 mins

Serves: 6-8, as a side dish

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of  organic dinosaur kale (tear kale leaves into bite-size pieces, no stems)
• 1 large organic red bell pepper (cored, seeded and diced)  
• 1 small head of  organic cabbage (chopped, removed core)
• 1  large organic orange (peeled, segmented, cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 cup of organic pineapple (diced)
• 1 small organic red onion (diced)
• 1/4 cup pepitas (optional) 

Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp of  Dijon mustard 
• Juice of 1 small organic orange (or about 1/3 cup juice) 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Bragg's Liquid Amino or Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine kale, bell pepper, cabbage, orange,  pineapple, onion and pepitas in a large bowl.

In a side bowl make the dressing. Whisk together mustard, orange juice, vinegar, pepper and salt. Pour over the veggie mixture and toss to coat.  Let it marinate for about an hour before serving. It can be kept, refrigerated, for 3 days. Serves 6-8 people as a side dish. 

Nutritional Info per Serving (assuming you make 6 servings):
Calories: 150 ; Fat: 4g ; Carbohydrate: 28g ; Fiber: 6g ; Sugar: 10g ; Protein: 5g