FOODGASM: BAKED TOSTONES
How has cooking been for you so far this year? Have you tested out different recipes?
It’s hard to keep up and make sure you maintain those new year resolutions, but promise you it gets easier when you continue to practice them. It takes 21 days to form a habit, so let me be your guide in the kitchen as you aim to eat deliciously but cook mindfully. Let's get it!
As a woman with multiple cultures I like to embrace what I’ve learned growing up. My favorite thing was always learning and understanding the food that my families loved. Tostones happens to be one of those staples that comes from my Dominican side of the family and I just love how filling they are. The problem for me has always been that tostones are technically double fried.
FRIED!
Do you know what fried food can do to your body? Aside from just clogging your arteries, consuming a lot of non-saturated fats that our ancestors used can cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart diseases (all things that can be found in families of POC, specifically AA families). In my attempts to stay healthy while still being able to enjoy the deliciousness that are tostones, I’ve learned to bake them!
Baking plantains?! YES F*CKING PLEASE! It makes them nice and crisp and still allows you to indulge in some of what you love. Between that and a homemade chimichurri sauce you really cannot go wrong. The chimichurri sauce itself can be used for so many other things that you can jar it and store it away for the next meal. Need to marinate meat, fish or poultry? Grab your chimichurri sauce! Looking to have cauliflower steaks or roasted vegetables? Drizzle some over top.
Okay, I think I sold you on this (and if I haven't, look at my photo above... yummy!) Here's the receipt for the BAKED TOSTONES:
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large plantains green/not too ripe
- olive oil spray for the baking tray and to coat the tostones
- 1 tablespoon garlic to sprinkle all over the tostones
- salt & pepper optional
- turmeric an optional spice to add pizzazzzzz.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Take the plantain and slice each side of it to help you remove the shell.
Once you have cleaned the outside of the plantain, either slice it 1/4 inch straight down for circles or at an angle.
Coat your baking tray with the olive oil as well as your plantain slices. You'll then sprinkle the seasoning on them.
Once your oven is heated you'll place the tray with the plantains in for 8-10 minutes.
Take out the plantains and with a back of a spoon mush each one down just enough so they don't break.
Spray the plantains so they can continue baking for another 8-10 minutes to get crisp.
Carefully remove from the oven and serve them with an avocado cream sauce of a chimichurri sauce.
The most important ingredient in a kitchen is to have FUN. Make it your own and don't be scared to make mistakes. If you need that chimichurri sauce I've got you on that too, click here for the recipe. Whether it's on IG stories or Twitter, remember to tag @thegirlmob and @ahlexandria. We can’t wait to see what you did!
Keep it saucy, and get your foodgasms!
Ahlexandria is a TGM contributor out of Los Angeles.
follow her @ahlexandria
