Recipe: Anything Goes Tostadas
How the 'Holy Trinity' Helped Me Thrive in a Bare-Bones Kitchen
Hello friends,
Before we get started with this week’s recipe, exciting changes are coming to CJ’s Fresh Approach!
I’ve loved sharing my passion for vibrant, nourishing food with you and I’m so grateful for your support!
Starting March 1, I’ll be transitioning to a paid subscription model. Paid subscribers will receive:
✨ Full access to all posts and recipes
🎧 Audio versions of each post
📚 Exclusive discounts on upcoming e-cookbooks (I’ve got one in the works and when you subscribe today, you’ll automatically receive it when it comes out in a few weeks.)
Free subscribers will still receive occasional posts, but if you’ve been enjoying my work, I’d love for you to jump onboard as a paid subscriber! Your support helps me continue writing high-quality content, creating and sharing delicious recipes, and inspiring a fresh approach to eating.
Thank you for being part of this journey! 💛
With gratitude,
CJ
How the 'Holy Trinity' Helped Me Thrive in a Bare-Bones Kitchen
Picture this: I’m in Mazunte, Mexico, wearing a bathing suit in a makeshift outdoor kitchen, holding a well-worn wooden paddle—my only real cooking tool—trying to prepare a gourmet meal for ten yogis. My kitchen for the week? An outdoor cubicle made up of garage sale odds and sods. A propane camping stove, a mini fridge that has seen better days, a few pots, most without lids, a cutting board, a small plastic sieve, a hand juicer, a decent blender and coffee maker, and an unusable rusty garlic press. No rubber spatulas, no masher, no BBQ, no microwave, no measuring spoons, no grater, no large mixing bowls, not even a vegetable peeler.
At least, there was salt and sharp knives.
How did I get here? I was assured before I left for Mexico that I would have access to a fully functional commercial-sized kitchen. It turns out the hotel changed hands during COVID and the new owners removed the kitchen and replaced it with an office. It was a moment of panic—for me and the yoga instructor hosting the retreat. She looked at me wondering if I’d stay… or go!
I’ve always had a can-do attitude and besides, what was I supposed to do anyway? So, I did the only thing I could. I leaned into what I call the Holy Trinity of cooking—salt, a sharp knife, and creativity.
I learned a lot that week. Eating healthy doesn’t take a lot of equipment. What my little kitchen lacked in gear, the local village made up for with an array of fresh ingredients. I made daily walks in the glorious morning sunshine into Mazunte, a small town with people from all over the world coming to gain a deeper understanding of themselves at one of the many yoga ashrams. While the ladies performed their sun salutations, I wandered through Mazunte’s sun-soaked streets, discovering shops bursting with fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs alongside nuts, seeds, and dried legumes. Each day’s bounty became the canvas for my next meal.
We ate like queens! I created all manner of incredible dishes using beat-up cooking pots as mixing bowls, or using the side of a knife to mash garlic with a little salt for vinaigrettes. Dinner plates and plastic trays became a backdrop to make dishes look beautiful and appetizing.
Breakfasts, made in the early morning to the crowing of a local rooster and the sound of the ocean waves splashing, included hard-boiled eggs, hearty rolled oats—cooked as porridge or mixed dry with nuts and raisins for muesli—and platters of fresh oranges and juicy mangos, alongside bowls of thick plain yogurt. The local coffee is robust and excellent, and the ladies could always count on fabulous cups to start the day. They loved it with a fat dollop of insanely thick ultra-rich cream known to locals.
Lunch and dinner were always a tapas-like smorgasbord of small dishes. Fresh tomatoes were blended into a cold gazpacho, drizzled with olive oil, and served in beautiful hand-crafted clay coffee cups I found in a cupboard. A sizzling tortilla Española was made with layers of local onions and potatoes along with beaten eggs and salt, then cut into wedges and sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley for a pop of colour.
All week, the ladies enjoyed vibrant salads bursting with colour and flavour, served on colourful plastic serving trays. Locally made herb-infused tofu, which I discovered available for sale at a nearby café, was cut into steaks and drizzled with Mexican crema, or cubed and crumbled to add protein to dishes. An Instant Pot that I found tucked away was perfect for cooking dried chickpeas. A group favourite was a sandwich I made with roughly mashed freshly cooked chickpeas, onions, celery, and mayo. It tastes like egg salad without the egg—I’ll share the recipe in an upcoming newsletter. The juice of freshly squeezed limes was splashed onto ingredients to brighten dishes, added to vinaigrettes for a kiss of Mexican sunshine, and dribbled onto freshly mashed guacamole to add a pleasant zing. Plump juicy tomatoes were sliced and drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of crunchy salt, or chopped and mixed with green onions and cilantro for a delicious salsa. Meals were rounded out with fresh tortillas or local sourdough bread.
One of my go-to meals was tostadas. Local shops carried bags of crispy tostadas. Tostadas are like a Mexican open-faced sandwich where the crispy tortilla is the base, and you pile it as high as you want with anything your heart desires! Beans, veggies, salsa, guacamole—it’s a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ meal. Crunchy, fresh, and satisfying. The best part? It takes very little equipment and you can whip one up in minutes.
That week proved something I’ve always believed: You don’t need a fancy kitchen to cook great food. Sharp knives, salt, and some creativity—that’s your Holy Trinity.
So, if you’ve ever found yourself thinking you don’t have the right tools to make a great meal, or you’re missing an ingredient, the Holy Trinity—salt, a sharp knife, and your own creativity—can see you through.
Keep an eye on future newsletters where I’ll be sharing more simple recipes and tips, so stay tuned.
🌱 Your Action Steps this Week
Make Your Own Tostadas – Pick up a pack of tostadas (or crisp up fresh corn tortillas in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes) and create a “choose-your-own-adventure” meal. Use whatever beans you have on hand (mash some cooked ones or try using hummus), veggies (fresh or cooked), or any leftovers you have on hand. Get creative with toppings like a drizzle of herb vinaigrette, or a dollop of hummus or tzatziki.
Master the Mash – Try mashing garlic with salt using the side of your knife. It’s a simple trick that transforms your garlic into a smooth paste—perfect for vinaigrettes, spreads, or adding flavour to any dish.
Rethink Your Kitchen Needs – Challenge yourself to prepare one meal this week using only the Holy Trinity: a sharp knife, salt, and your creativity. See how far you can go without relying on special gadgets. You might be surprised at how liberating it feels. You got this!
Recipe: Anything Goes Tostadas
This recipe serves as many as you have tostada bottoms
Small tostadas (found in many groceries stores in the Mexican food section, or specialty latino shops. You can also make your own by frying a fresh corn tortilla in oil, or for an oil-free version, crisp up fresh tortillas on a rack in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
Refried beans or leftover unsweetened baked beans warmed in a skillet
Thin slabs of cooked tofu or smoked tempeh. If you’re wanting some meat, gently warm thinly sliced cooked chicken, beef, slices of sausage, or a fillet of fish
Salsa and guacamole
Shredded cabbage or finely sliced lettuce
Quick Cucumber Pickle (recipe below)
Thinly sliced red onion
Sprigs of cilantro
Any other vegetables you’d like to add. Sauteed mushroom are delicious.
Mexican Crema (recipe below)
Build the tostadas in the following order:
On a plate lay the crisp tortilla.
Gently smear with some warm baked beans
Top with the tofu or smoked tempeh, or meat if using.
Spoon over some salsa and guacamole.
Heap on a handful of shredded cabbage or lettuce, or both
Top with a few slices of ‘Quick Cucumber Pickle’ and then some red onion
Drizzle with the Mexican Crema and garnish with some sprigs of cilantro.
Quick Cucumber pickle: Very thinly slice a half an English cucumber. Slices should be very thin. Lay in a bowl and drizzle over several tablespoons of white wine vinegar or malt vinegar or red wine vinegar. Let stand while you prepare the filling ingredients.
Mexican Crema: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1-2 tsp or more Mexican chili powder, some salt and several teaspoons of lime juice. Stir. Taste and adjust seasonings.
We eat tostadas quite often. Love the simplicity but great flavors. We make ours with refried beans, spiced meat, tomatoes and cheese.