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Meatless Monday: Tostadas with chard slaw

Celebrate summer with green cabbage, Swiss chard, red onion, and avocado. These tostadas are vegetarian and vegan, but can be served with beans or corn as a side if you're extra hungry. 

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In Praise of Leftovers
Tostadas are the perfect summer meal. They come together quickly with limited cooking.

We are finally feeling summer. After last week's deluge we're planning to enjoy the 82 degree heat wave today by meeting Megan and her girls at the pool. We have to stay cool somehow. 82 is Death Valley around here!

And summer means berries, chard, zucchini, kale, green beans, cucumbers, herbs. My sister-in-law Kelly got me a full CSA subscription to Sage and Sky Farm, and Wednesdays are my favorite day now. We get a newsletter in our inboxes detailing what's in each week's box, but I don't like to look. I like to be surprised when I open up the blue lid and see all those green, tender morsels picked that morning.

This week, it was chard, arugula, bok choy, lettuce, and sugar snap peas — a giant bag of them which our family consumed while garage sale-ing yesterday morning. (Mothers, I'm sure you know this trick--put vegetables in your childrens' hands while they are in motion or in front of the T.V., and they will disappear. Not that these peas needed any help, though.)

Tostadas are a common meal around here. The crunchy, flat shells are perfect vehicles for all sorts of things, they never go stale in the pantry, and little hands don't have to roll anything up. Per usual, I set all the toppings in the middle of the table and let everyone do their thing. I also served warmed refried beans (though cold would be just fine) and grated white cheddar with these, but you don't need that. 

Presto. A vegan no-cook meal that leaves more time for being outside. 

Tostadas with chard slaw

1. Thinly slice 1/4 head of green cabbage and several large washed, ribbed Swiss chard leaves.

2. Toss them with very thinly sliced red onion, a glug of olive oil, coarse salt, a dash of white wine vinegar, and some crushed red pepper, if you like.

3. Smash avocado (or lay sliced avocado) on your tostada shell and top with slaw. 

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