Leftover turkey tostadas recipe

I love absolutely everything about the holiday season, but my favorite thing of all is the food — specifically the aromas and the spices that characterize this time of the year. It is usually the only time I cook a whole turkey and all the fixings that go with it. In a small household like mine, this typically means plenty of leftover food. I am also very conscious of — and refuse to contribute to — the large amount of food waste that the food industry and households produce on a daily basis. Using leftover food wisely is one way to address this issue. I love a simple leftover turkey sandwich, but this year I decided to expand the recipe pool, considering nutrition, time and ease of preparation.

One of my family’s favorite meals is tostadas. They are easy to make and extremely versatile, as you can switch the protein choice for topping and continue to have a consistent savory and nutritious food. This recipe, modified from Eating Well, uses leftover shredded turkey and homemade tostada shells from fresh corn tortillas. Serve with your choice of topping to add your personal twist to this traditional Tex-Mex dish.

Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: ~25 minutes. Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 to 2 small jalapeño peppers, diced (optional or per tolerance to spicy food)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cups shredded cooked turkey (about 12 ounces)
8 corn tortillas
Canola cooking spray
1 avocado, pitted
1/4 cup prepared salsa
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup low-fat shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese blend

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium saucepan, cook tomatoes and jalapeños until soft over medium heat.
Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add turkey and cook until heated through about 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
Coat tortillas on both sides with the cooking spray. Divide the tortillas between 2 large baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until crisped and lightly brown, about 10 minutes.
Mash avocado in a bowl. Stir in salsa, sour cream and cilantro until combined.
To assemble tostadas, spread each tortilla with some of the avocado mixture. Top with the turkey mixture, lettuce and cheese.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

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