Category: Recipes I Have Tried

CopyCat Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell)


This is a quick low-fat, salt-free version of a North American fast food favorite, Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. It’s my healthy variation of an online copycat recipe. Mind you, Taco Bell is a big joke among Latinos, but we can always hope for a brighter future 

Ingredients

*2 cups mild tomato-based picante salsa (salt-free)
**12 (or more) corn tortillas (normally sold fat-free & preferably organic – no gmo!)
2 cups salt-free pinto beans (make ’em at home in your crock, just water & beans)
2 or 3 medium white potatoes
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Directions:
1. Peel & boil the potatoes until slightly mushy, then drain off water.
2. Add enough salsa & mash (by hand or machine) to get a paste the consistency of peanut butter. I call this TATER-BUTTER, but there’s not a cow in sight!!
3. Rinse & drain beans, add enough salsa & mash to similar paste consistency. I call this BEANIE-BUTTER!! (Are we having fun yet?)
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Pre-bake the tortillas by spreading them out (no overlaps) on a nonstick cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, or sheet sprayed with a tiny spritz of cooking spray (be careful, cooking spray labeled “fat-free” is full of fat when over used!).
6. Paper-towel-pat or spritz each tortilla with *WATER* (this is the crispy fat-free secret!!)
7. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes (WATCH ‘EM WITH AN EAGLE EYE OR THEY’RE SURE TO BURN. Play w/ the time to get desired crispness.)
8. Turn tortillas over and bake another 8-10 minutes (don’t forget water) until crispy.

{Honestly, if still too tough for you, spritz a tiny bit of lite cooking spray, like coconut oil, and heat both sides on a hot stovetop skillet, INSTEAD OF BAKING!}

9. Prepare each pizza by first spreading BEANIE-BUTTER on one pre-baked tortilla.
10. Spread TATER-BUTTER on top of a  second tortilla with 2 T of salsa.
11. Stack the second tortilla on top of first.
12. Divide the tomato, onions and olives evenly and sprinkle on top.
13. ***Optional low-fat guacamole may be added (see recipe below).
14. Cut into 4 wedges (w/ pizza cutter) & enjoy!

COMMENT: If you get impatient just throw all ingredients into one pre-baked tortilla, fold it in half, & enjoy it TACO STYLE!
********************
NOTES
*If you want fresh SALSA try this recipe 

Ingredients (4 cups)
2 (14.5 oz) cans no-salt added diced tomatoes or 1 (28 oz) can no salt added tomatoes
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup cilantro (or parsley)
1 jalapeño, diced (leave the seeds in for a spicier salsa or discard them for a mild salsa)
2 tsp vinegar or lime or lemon juice

https://blog.memeinge.com/the-easiest-salsa-to-make/

**If you cannot buy CORN TORTILLAS in your part of the world,  here’s a recipe I found online that was translated into english from:

https://www.mexirecetas.com/

1 kg. cornflour, preferably organic (4 cups)
1 1/4 liters of warm water (Approx 5 cups)

PREPARATION: Empty the flour in a bowl for kneading, add the water gradually, kneading until no more sticks to your hands. If the dough is too wet you have to add a little more flour. The dough can be stored in a plastic bag to keep dry, preferably in the refrigerator. The tortillas can be prepared with the press (machine to make tortillas) or manually with a wooden roller, cooked on a hot griddle for 3-4 minutes per side or until tortillas are cooked. Save them by wrapping the stack of them in a dry tea towel.

*** If you’re not on a weightloss plan top off  pizzas with some low-fat guacamole by blenderizing 1 cup of thawed frozen green peas (OR 1 C. of well-cooked broccoli, edamame, or asparagus tips) together with a small avocado, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, & some salsa.

Is Pasta Plant-Based? The Delicious (and Healthy) Answer – Center for Nutrition Studies

https://nutritionstudies.org/is-pasta-plant-based-the-delicious-and-healthy-answer/?utm_source=Newsletter+List&utm_campaign=32149edb28-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_06_18_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9941e1caac-32149edb28-57813794

ZINGER VEGGIE SMOOTHIE!

(DRY INGREDIENTS × 5: store in 5 open baggies for Mon-Fri)

2 cups greens (1 kale + 1 curly parsley)

1 carrot

1 rib celery

1/2 red/orange/yellow bell pepper (your choice)

1 scallion (long green onion)

1/5 of small beet

1/5 jalapeño pepper (seeded)

1/4 inch fresh turmeric (or 1/4 tsp ground)

(WET INGREDIENTS × 5: store in a 5 cup glass jar)

1 cup salt-free tomato juice (or salt-free veggie blend juice)

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1/2 lemon (juiced)  

INSTRUCTIONS

In blender combine

1 baggie of dry ingredient

1 cup of wet ingredients

1 cup ice

BLEND FOR 10 BURPEES! **********

https://nutritionfacts.org/recipe/v-12-vegetable-blast/

Oil-free sweet potato fries baked in air fryer

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories207kcal

AuthorNicolas Pujol

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp herbes de Provence (use a mix of dried thyme, oregano, rosemary, and parsley as replacement)
  • 1 tbsp ground pepper
  • 2 lb sweet potatoes (weight after peeling)

Instructions

  • Peel the sweet potato, rinse it and cut the fries in slices.
  • In a sealable plastic bag, add the fries with the herbs and pepper. Close bag and shake them until a uniform coat develops around the fries.
  • Place the contents in the air fryer container and set it to your device’s indicated time and temperature. On our unit, it took 20 minutes at 400 F degrees. 
  • Halfway through the baking process, open the container and carefully shake it to turn the fries on a different side, then place it back in to finish baking. 
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Follow a similar process if using a convection oven or regular oven.

Check also:

Nagaimo chips in air fryer

Eggplant and plantains appetizer in air fryer (oil-free)

Nutrition

Sodium: 126mg | Calcium: 131mg | Vitamin C: 6.9mg | Vitamin A: 32290IU | Sugar: 9g | Fiber: 8g | Potassium: 808mg | Calories: 207kcal | Protein: 3g | Carbohydrates: 48g | Iron: 5.2mg

https://www.nicolaspujol.com/oil-free-sweet-potato-fries-baked-in-air-fryer/