Did you know that improving your health can be as easy as cutting out meat and processed cold cuts one day a week? Doing so can reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

Enter Meatless Monday. This week's recipe is Vegetable Tostadas. "A tostada is a layered Mexican dish which uses a crispy tortilla for its base," says the Meatless Monday website. "Making refried beans from scratch is simple and infinitely more delicious than canned, but if you don’t have the time, substitute 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans and begin the recipe after the beans have been boiled, but not yet seasoned and mashed."

Vegetable Tostadas

Serves 8

Makes 8 Tostadas

For the refried beans:

— 1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

— 2 tablespoons canola oil

— 1/2 onion, chopped

— 1 teaspoon cumin

— 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

— salt and pepper, to taste

To complete the Vegetable Tostadas:

— 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

— 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

— 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

— 8 corn tortillas

— canola oil, for preparing the tortillas

— 1 cup freshly chopped lettuce

— 2 tomatoes, diced

— 1 avocado, diced
To make the refried beans:
Cover the beans with 3 inches of water in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and partially cover the pot with a lid. Let the beans simmer for at least 30 minutes. After the first half-hour, taste the beans every 15 minutes to see if they are fully cooked. The timing will depend on the age of the dried beans and how long you presoaked them for. When beans are cooked to preference, strain through a colander.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Season the onions with the cumin.

Add the cooked beans to the pan and mash using a fork, wooden spoon or a potato masher. Mash while stirring for about 5-7 minutes, or until the beans have reached desired consistency. Season with the cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste.

To complete the Vegetable Tostadas:

Blend the lime’s zest and juice into the sour cream and stir well.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a bed of paper towels and place it in the oven.

Heat a 1/2-inch thick layer of canola oil into a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Using tongs, dip 1 corn tortilla into the oil and cook for 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Flip the tortilla and cook an additional 30 seconds on the other side and transfer it to the paper towel-lined baking sheet in the oven to keep it warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Remove the fried tortillas from the oven. Top each with equal parts refried beans, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Top with a dab of the lime-infused sour cream.

Nutrition info: 480 calories, 20 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 51 mg sodium, 63 g total carbs, 16 g dietary fiber, 16 g sugar and 4g protein.

This recipe was provided by Sophisticated Pie.

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(Photo: Courtesy meatlessmonday.com)