Sunday Recipe- Mexican Pizzas

I  posted on twitter earlier this week that I made Mexican pizzas for my mom and I for lunch one day and I would use that recipe this weekend.  Well, you don't have to wait any longer! I am always on a quest to find recipes that I can make for one (helllooo being single forever) and if not just one at least smaller portions with reusable leftovers.  I was inspired to make these mexican pizzas last fall after my mom and I discussed our former love from Taco Bell and I was determined to make them at home, but healthier.

I did some research on the internet and some of my favorite blogs and pins on Pintrest and found a healthy version of the taco bell mexican pizza when I came across this blog post: Honey What's Cooking: Mexican Tortilla Pizza.  I love that I can use my favorite whole wheat carb balance tortillas and bake them instead of fry (I can't eat anything fried, it makes me sick).

I used her recipe for ideas and made my own up based on my personal tastes and flavors my family and I enjoy.  We like kidney beans instead of the refried beans in the can and we like a TON of veggies since we're vegetarians so I changed the recipe/method based on some of these differences.  Still a great meal and extremely filling too.

Ingredients

• 2 whole wheat flour tortillas per serving (I made 4 for my mom and I)
• Canola Oil for brushing
• 1 can of light red kidney beans
• ½ Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Packet: Hot 'n' Spicy
• ½ Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Packet: Low Sodium 
• 1 bag shredded lettuce
• 2 Roma Tomatoes (one per person)
• 1 small white onion
• Shredded Cheese (I prefer cheddar but we only had mozzarella in the house)
• Your favorite salsa/hot sauce (I LOVE CHOLUA)

Method: PREP

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Take 2 tortillas per person and brush canola oil on both sides on a cookie sheet (I just used my fingers- a cook's best tool!)
3. With a knife, make tiny holes in the tortilla so it won't inflate as it bakes.
    
4. Bake tortillas for 6 minutes, flipping halfway through.  Keep in oven until golden and crunchy
    
5. Strain kidney beans and wash all the excess liquid from the beans
6. In a saucepan, put kidney beans, water (just to cover the top of the beans), and half of each of the seasoning packets.  You can adjust how much of each to put in based on your personal taste.  My family likes it spicy so we use more of the Ho t'n' Spicy seasoning.
    
7. With a potato masher, mash all the beans and mix with the seasoning and water.
8. Once all the beans are smashed, take an immersion/handheld blender (I use this one) to make the bean mixture smooth.
9. Cover the beans over low heat and let the water cook out  for about 5-8 minutes (depending on how watery the beans are and what consistency you like) and so the seasonings and flavors infuse in the beans.
    
10. Dice the tomatoes and onion.

Method: ASSEMBLY

1. Take one of the baked tortillas and put a generous dollop of the bean mixture on your base tortilla and spread it out. Be careful not to break your tortilla in half!!!
    
2. Put a little bit of your salsa or hot sauce on top of the beans
3. Put the second tortilla on top of the beans topped tortilla
4. Put a tiny spoon of beans on the top tortilla to ensure the veggies stick a little
    
5. Top with lettuce, then tomatoes, and onions.
    
6. Add a sprinkle of your favorite shredded cheese (I love cheddar but used mozzarella here)
    
7. Put the fully assembled mexican pizza back onto your cookie sheet and back into the oven for few (3-5) minutes to melt the cheese and heat through (you technically can put this in the microwave but it'll become soggy, trust me)
   We put ours in the microwave since we were super hungry and didn't want to wait!
    
8. Finally, take your delicious mexican pizza out of the oven and top with more of your favorite hot sauce (mmmmmmm cholua) and devour.
   YUMMMMMMM 

 

I hope you try this recipe the next time you are craving mexican food! It is SO much better quality than Taco Bell/eating out, so much healthier, and 100% vegetarian.  It is definitely super filling and kept me full all day long but I think I skipped dinner the day I made this for my mom and I. One way to make this meal a little less intense, try using only one tortilla and then topping the bottom layer of beans with all your veggies to have your homemade version of Taco Bell's Tostadas (my mom and I LOVED those back in the day too)!!

 

What is your favorite Mexican food eatery? Do you make Mexican food at home? What's your favorite Mexican/tex-mex food item??