With the Super Bowl fast approaching, here's an offer I'm hoping you can't refuse. Along with the Buffalo wings, barbecued ribs, burgers and fatty dips and chips, how about a fuss-free, full-flavored option for those looking for more diet-friendly (or gluten-free, or vegetarian) fare?This recipe for Bean and Cheese Tostadas is festive-looking, deliciously satisfying, and fits perfectly into a Super Bowl menu. Yet it's low in fat, high in fiber, and unless diners pile on the toppers super high, it weighs in at 200 calories or less a serving. It's adapted from a recipe in my brand new Kindle book, The 2 Day a Week Diet Cookbook. (With 75 recipes and 50 color photos, including those shown here, the book is a great value at $3.99! It's getting great reviews, btw.)
This version of the dish is perfect for any informal party: The ingredients can be readied well ahead and the components set out and attractively arranged so guests can custom-make their tostadas as desired. The following quantities will make 8 tostadas, but you can simply double or even triple the amounts if you're feeding a crowd.
Tip: If you don't have a warming tray to keep the bean spread slightly warm during standing, put it in a microwave-safe bowl and, if necessary just pop it back into the microwave oven for a minute to quickly rewarm it.
1 16-ounce can fat-free or "spicy fat free" canned refried beans
1 4-ounce can chopped mild green chiles or 1/2 cup bottled roasted chopped red sweet peppers
8 6-inch plain, flat corn tortilla or tostada shells
1/2 cup 2-percent-fat shredded pepper Jack, Jack, or Cheddar cheese
About 1 1/4 cups each diced fresh tomatoes and shredded crisp lettuce for garnish
1/2 cup chopped green onions for garnish, optional
Set out the beans, along with a serving spoon and knives for spreading. Set out a basket of the crisp, flat corn tortillas, along with the cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and green onion garnishes and serving spoons for each.
To make their tostadas, diners spread a tortilla surface with the bean mixture, then sprinkle over cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and green onions to taste. Tostadas should be eaten promptly as they lose their crispness upon standing.
![]()
At left are some of the other tempting recipes in
The 2 Day a Week Diet Cookbook.Try the tempting vegetable soup from the book (shown below right) here.
If you aren't familiar with the 2 day a week diet, you will soon. It's easier than most because you only diet 2 nonconsecutive days a week--the rest of the week you eat normally. The other good news--studies have shown that a higher percentage of people lose on this plan than on "regular diets. My co-author has lost 12 pounds and I've lost 6! (And we're not done yet!)
![]()
The 2 Day a Week Diet Cookbook.Try the tempting vegetable soup from the book (shown below right) here.
If you aren't familiar with the 2 day a week diet, you will soon. It's easier than most because you only diet 2 nonconsecutive days a week--the rest of the week you eat normally. The other good news--studies have shown that a higher percentage of people lose on this plan than on "regular diets. My co-author has lost 12 pounds and I've lost 6! (And we're not done yet!)
