Full Moon Chalupas Recipe

Here is a main dish stuffed with fabulous heart-healthy nutrition from avocados, tomatoes, beans, and whole grains. Cait devised the recipe when her son went on a quesadilla-eating kick; chalupas, she discovered, are even easier to make and every bit as satisfying, and this version is pretty as a picture, to boot.

Valentine’s Day (or any day) will be more colorful and delicious with these chalupas on the menu: each one is round as a full moon, and topped with a beautiful salad that includes greens, pepper rings, and olives. We also include a vegan variation.

INGREDIENTS

oil for frying tortillas
12 8-inch whole wheat tortillas
2 cups cooked pinto or kidney beans, seasoned to taste (canned may be used)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (optional for vegans)
1 1/2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (optional for vegans)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into strips
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, well-drained

For salad garnish:

Fresh salad greens
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced black olives
Sour cream (optional for vegans)
Salsa

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a large frying pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, cook each tortilla, flipping when lightly golden, and removing when both sides are cooked (this doesn’t take long). Drain each tortilla on paper towels. Continue until all 12 tortillas are golden brown.

2. Mash beans with seasoning to taste (if you like heat, feel free to add chipotle sauce or Mexican chili pepper, along with salt to your liking).

3. Lay out 6 tortillas on 2 large cookie sheets. Spread mashed beans on them, then sprinkle cheeses, if using, over the beans. Top with avocado slices and diced tomatoes and, seven minutes before you want to eat, place them in the preheated oven. Five minutes later, add the other 6 tortillas and bake all 12 for another 2 minutes.

3. Remove tortillas from the oven, and place a plain tortilla on top of each bean-and-cheese tortilla. Top each chalupa with greens, then pepper rings, onion, olives, and a dollop of sour cream (if using) and/or salsa.

Serves 6.