Happy Cinco de Mayo! Not much Mexican cheer going on in Istanbul, but I’ve managed to bring some of the festivities to my kitchen. For lunch, I made a vegetarian open-face tortilla salad using a whole-wheat tortilla topped with greens, kidney beans, veggies, and cheese. This recipe is a great way to get rid of some vegetables in your fridge that are rounding their last leg as well as to open that spice cabinet and discover the transformative powers of cumin and hot pepper.
Let’s talk about the glowing benefits of cumin, which makes this dish.
Cumin: is beneficial for digestive disorders, is an antiseptic, is rich in iron, helps with the absorption of nutrients, boosts the liver’s detoxifying capabilities,relieves common cold symptoms, warms the body, and boosts metabolism.
Tortilla Salad
Keywords: fry saute main sandwich tortilla kidney beans Cinco de Mayo Mexican
Ingredients (2-3 tortillas)
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
- 2 tortillas
- 1 cup kidney beans
- Handful of green leaves
- 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or Monterrey jack)
Instructions
Chop the zucchini, red pepper (after stemming and removing seeds), onion, carrot, and mushrooms. In a skillet over medium heat, add all the chopped veggies, except for the mushrooms, to 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper. When the onions begin to appear translucent, add the mushrooms. Cook for about 8 more minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Drain and rinse the canned kidney beans.
Warm the tortilla on the stove or in the microwave so that it is soft and pliable.
For assembly, on top of the flat tortilla, place chopped greens of choice, the kidney beans (or refried beans), vegetable mixture, and cheese.
Roll it up and sloppily enjoy or slice it into pizza-size pieces and again, sloppily enjoy! Eat with a side of rice or with some rice as its own layer. You could also add some sliced avocado and sour cream if it floats your boat.
Bon Appetit!
xo Aylin
