Quick, Healthy Dinner Idea

Tostadas are an old standby at our house, and a favorite, but you may not have thought of making them at home. Here's a way to make them quick and healthy.

For starters, I keep Bearitos Tostada Shells in the freezer -- in a safe place where they won't get crushed. They're the only brand I've found that don't have trans fats, and they're delicious. They are made of only
organic stoneground yellow corn masa flour
expeller pressed canola and/or safflower and/or sunflower oil.

I keep them in the freezer because they have no preservatives and the oil can get rancid. Plus, I like always having them on hand for nights when I don't have a clue what dinner will be.

I like to make kind of a Tostada Bar - putting out bowls of whatever veggies we have, but here are our favorites:

• warm refried beans (the healthy kind with no lard)
• shredded lettuce
• chopped tomatoes
• chopped onions
• quacamole
• black olives
• shredded cheese
• salsa

After all that is ready, bake the tostada shells at 350 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes. As they come out of the oven, top each one with the warm refried beans. Then let each person top their own tostadas. Two to three tostadas per person makes a complete meal.

If you can't find the Bearitos Tostada Shells at your health food store, they can order them for you. The website is www.littlebearfoods.com, and toll-free number is 1-800-434-4246.