Baked Tostones with Coconut Black Bean Salsa

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenBaked Tostones with Coconut Black Bean Salsa

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	10 minutes	Total Time	35 minutes
Servings	4	Cost Per Serving	$1.13

2	Green Plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves	Garlic, minced
1 tbsp	Smoked Paprika
1 cup	Parsley or Cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup	Cooked Black Beans, rinsed
1/4 cup	Red Onion
1/4 cup	Fresh Grated Coconut or Unsweetened Dried Shredded Coconut
1	Lime
1 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp	Olive Oil or Grape Seed Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place your plantain pieces in a bowl and add minced garlic, smoked paprika and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Mix well.
Place plantain pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 min. Increase the oven temperature to 400 F.
One piece at a time, place the plantain pieces in between two pieces of parchment paper. Gently squish the plantain piece into a disc using something heavy and flat, like a plate or the bottom of a bowl. Do this to all the plantain pieces.
Place the plantain discs back onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and bake for another 10 minutes.
Mix parsley, onion, black beans, coconut, juice of one lime and 1 tsp of olive oil. Season to taste and serve with tostones.

PDF link to nutrition facts for Baked Tostones with Coconut Black Bean Salsa.

Tostones are traditionally double-fried in oil, making them high in fat and calories. In this lighter version, baking helps create crispness without the added calories.
1 medium plantain (raw) has 215 calories and is a good source of fibre. Like bananas, plantains are an excellent source of potassium, an electrolyte that helps lower blood pressure. Plantains are also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and B6, with 1 medium plantain providing 40% of the vitamin A, 54% of the vitamin C and 25% of the vitamin B6 most people need in a day. Vitamins A and C are antioxidants that help prevent free radical damage, which is associated with chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Vitamin B6 is needed to make red blood cells and cells that are needed for a strong immune system.
One cup of cooked black beans provides more than half the fibre and almost three times the molybdenum most people need in a day. Molybdenum is a nutrient needed for many chemical reactions in the body and to turn fats and carbohydrates from food into energy.